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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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. roll — a cake
  3. stand — to bear
  4. roll — a list
  5. file — a line of people
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. charge — in control
  8. track — to keep track
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. file — a document
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. mark — a grade
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. file — a tool
  17. rush — hurry
  18. track — a song
  19. charge — electricity
  20. track — a path
  21. mark — a trace
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. lie — to recline

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