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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: bay · date · scale · charge · firm · row · track · season

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. charge — in control
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. season — in sport
  6. track — to keep track
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. track — a path
  10. scale — size or range
  11. date — the fruit
  12. firm — a company
  13. firm — decided
  14. charge — a price
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. charge — electricity
  18. scale — in music
  19. season — of the year
  20. row — to paddle
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. row — a line
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. firm — steady

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