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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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. date — the fruit
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. band — a music group
  7. fine — all right
  8. charge — in control
  9. chip — to eat
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. fine — high quality
  14. charge — electricity
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. track — a path
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. track — a song
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. band — a ring
  21. charge — a price
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. foot — a measure
  24. chip — for betting

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