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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. rock — music
  4. track — a path
  5. pound — a weight
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. date — the fruit
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. charge — a price
  12. craft — boats
  13. chip — for betting
  14. track — a song
  15. charge — electricity
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. craft — a skill
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. chip — to eat
  20. charge — in control
  21. track — to keep track
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. chip — in a computer

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