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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 120 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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. bound — tied together
  3. field — farmland
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. track — to keep track
  6. rash — a series
  7. charge — electricity
  8. current — of water
  9. ground — a position
  10. track — a song
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. field — a subject
  13. rash — hasty
  14. current — happening now
  15. field — for sport
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. bound — obliged
  18. bound — certain
  19. current — electric
  20. ground — the earth
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. ground — crushed
  23. charge — in control
  24. track — a path

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