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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 116 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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. charge — in control
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. patient — calm and waiting
  6. content — the amount
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. scale — size or range
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. scale — in music
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. charge — electricity
  14. content — happy
  15. track — a path
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. charge — a price
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. track — a song
  24. patient — a sick person

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