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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: lie · mark · date · current · tube · fan · track · charge

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. date — the fruit
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. current — electric
  6. track — a path
  7. current — of water
  8. charge — electricity
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. current — happening now
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. track — a song
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. mark — a grade
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. lie — to recline
  18. mark — a trace
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. charge — in control
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. tube — a container
  23. charge — a price
  24. tube — the underground

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