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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: roll · nail · march · track · charge · sharp · bulb · net

  1. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  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. march — the month
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. roll — a list
  4. roll — a cake
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. march — music
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. net — in sport
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. march — the month
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bulb — for light
  13. track — a path
  14. track — to keep track
  15. net — for catching
  16. charge — a price
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. charge — electricity
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. sharp — clever
  21. charge — in control
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. net — after costs
  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