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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: straw · drill · stock · patient · rock · club · content · charge

  1. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. charge — in control
  4. drill — a practice
  5. content — the amount
  6. drill — army training
  7. rock — music
  8. club — for dancing
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. content — happy
  11. club — for golf
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. charge — electricity
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. charge — a price
  17. club — a group
  18. stock — shares
  19. stock — goods
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. drill — the tool
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. rock — a stone

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