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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: leaves · chip · tube · charge · jam · swing · track · stock

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. tube — the underground
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. chip — to eat
  7. stock — shares
  8. track — a song
  9. swing — music
  10. swing — to play on
  11. track — to keep track
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. charge — in control
  16. charge — a price
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. stock — goods
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. chip — for betting
  22. track — a path
  23. tube — a container
  24. swing — in golf

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