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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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Word bank
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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: staff · straw · charge · ball · bore · hide · branch · jam

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. ball — a dance
  4. charge — electricity
  5. staff — employees
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. charge — a price
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. branch — a division
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. staff — employees
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. charge — in control
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. ball — a great time
  18. bore — to tire
  19. bore — to drill
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. hide — to keep secret

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