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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
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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: track · can · board · field · court · temple · cue · charge

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. can — a tin
  4. charge — a price
  5. board — to get on
  6. cue — for pool
  7. charge — electricity
  8. track — to keep track
  9. cue — a signal
  10. court — of law
  11. field — a subject
  12. court — for sport
  13. cue — a hint
  14. field — farmland
  15. track — a path
  16. board — a committee
  17. field — for sport
  18. can — a tin
  19. court — of a king
  20. charge — in control
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. track — a song
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. board — a flat piece

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