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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: suit · wind · present · charge · row · last · chip · straw

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. present — a gift
  3. wind — moving air
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. last — to go on
  7. wind — moving air
  8. row — to paddle
  9. last — final
  10. present — the time now
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. charge — in control
  13. suit — clothes
  14. chip — for betting
  15. chip — to eat
  16. last — finally
  17. charge — a price
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. suit — in cards
  20. suit — to fit
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. charge — electricity
  23. present — there
  24. row — a line

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com