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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. track — to keep track
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. charge — a price
  5. suit — in cards
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. track — a song
  9. track — a path
  10. pit — in a race
  11. band — a ring
  12. can — to be able to
  13. can — a tin
  14. bass — the fish
  15. suit — to fit
  16. charge — in control
  17. wax — to grow
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. can — a tin
  21. suit — clothes
  22. band — a music group
  23. pit — a hole
  24. bass — low music

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