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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. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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. track — a path
  4. band — a music group
  5. squash — to crush
  6. craft — a skill
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. charge — electricity
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. charge — a price
  12. craft — boats
  13. squash — the sport
  14. saw — the tool
  15. ball — a dance
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. track — a song
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. saw — the tool
  20. fine — high quality
  21. fine — all right
  22. band — a ring
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. ball — a great time

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