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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: rash · saw · current · wound · track · charge

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. wound — an injury
  5. rash — hasty
  6. current — electric
  7. track — a song
  8. charge — a price
  9. saw — the tool
  10. wound — an injury
  11. current — of water
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. track — a path
  14. rash — a series
  15. charge — electricity
  16. track — to keep track
  17. current — happening now
  18. charge — in control

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