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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: key · stem · march · mine · charge · track · bear · lash

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. track — to keep track
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. charge — electricity
  5. track — a path
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. march — music
  8. charge — in control
  9. key — for a lock
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. bear — the animal
  12. track — a song
  13. stem — to come from
  14. bear — the animal
  15. key — the most important part
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. march — the month
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. mine — for digging
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. march — the month
  23. charge — a price
  24. key — in 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