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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. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. cap — a hat
  3. fine — all right
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. vault — a safe
  8. root — of a word
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. charge — in control
  13. charge — a price
  14. bass — the fish
  15. cap — a lid
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. track — a song
  18. root — of a plant
  19. track — a path
  20. bass — low music
  21. cap — of ice
  22. charge — electricity
  23. fine — high quality
  24. root — the cause

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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