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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. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. track — a path
  3. bank — for money
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. charge — in control
  7. bank — of a river
  8. kid — child
  9. kid — to tease
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. charge — electricity
  13. plane — a tool
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. track — a song
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. bank — for money
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. band — a ring
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. band — a music group
  23. track — to keep track
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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