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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: present · march · band · mug · deal · track · charge · bore

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. track — a path
  3. charge — electricity
  4. present — a gift
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. march — the month
  7. charge — in control
  8. present — there
  9. bore — to tire
  10. deal — to handle
  11. mug — a face
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. band — a music group
  14. march — music
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. mug — to rob
  17. band — a ring
  18. present — the time now
  19. bore — to drill
  20. charge — a price
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. mug — a cup
  23. track — to keep track
  24. march — the month

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