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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: row · track · fork · wave · charge · tube · cap · leaves

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. charge — in control
  3. charge — a price
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. tube — a container
  7. charge — electricity
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. row — to paddle
  11. track — to keep track
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. track — a path
  14. cap — a lid
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. fork — in a road
  18. track — a song
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. row — a line
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. cap — a hat
  24. cap — of ice

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