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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: stem · track · charge · mate · drill · suit · perch · object

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. mate — a partner
  3. track — to keep track
  4. drill — the tool
  5. object — a thing
  6. mate — a friend
  7. drill — army training
  8. suit — clothes
  9. object — an aim
  10. charge — in control
  11. track — a path
  12. stem — to come from
  13. object — to protest
  14. charge — electricity
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. drill — a practice
  18. suit — in cards
  19. track — a song
  20. mate — to breed
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. perch — the fish
  23. charge — a price
  24. suit — to fit

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