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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. fork — in a road
  3. track — a song
  4. charge — a price
  5. file — a line of people
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. file — a tool
  8. lean — thin
  9. track — a path
  10. track — to keep track
  11. fine — all right
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. charge — electricity
  14. lean — to bend
  15. file — a document
  16. fine — high quality
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. fork — to eat with

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