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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. track — a song
  3. present — a gift
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. charge — electricity
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. charge — in control
  9. dip — to sink
  10. track — a path
  11. charge — a price
  12. mark — a trace
  13. file — a document
  14. rock — music
  15. present — there
  16. present — the time now
  17. file — a tool
  18. file — a line of people
  19. can — to be able to
  20. can — a tin
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. can — a tin
  23. track — to keep track
  24. mark — a grade

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