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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: spring · nail · stand · pit · charge · track · dip · spell

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. spell — magic
  3. charge — in control
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. spell — letters
  7. charge — electricity
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. stand — to bear
  11. pit — in a race
  12. dip — to sink
  13. spring — of water
  14. charge — a price
  15. pit — a hole
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. track — to keep track
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. spring — the season
  21. spring — a coil
  22. spell — a short time
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. track — a song

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