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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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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: bound · charge · track · spring · pass · temple · bat · fine

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. spring — a coil
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. bound — tied together
  5. charge — electricity
  6. track — a song
  7. track — to keep track
  8. charge — a price
  9. fine — high quality
  10. spring — of water
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. bound — obliged
  15. charge — in control
  16. spring — the season
  17. fine — all right
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. track — a path
  20. bound — certain
  21. pass — a permit
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. bat — the animal
  24. bat — for baseball

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