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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 120 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: charge · ground · track · mark · mate · perch · wake · tube

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. charge — a price
  3. mark — a trace
  4. perch — the fish
  5. wake — a trail
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. mark — a grade
  8. mate — a partner
  9. ground — crushed
  10. charge — in control
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. track — a song
  15. charge — electricity
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. tube — the underground
  18. mate — a friend
  19. track — to keep track
  20. ground — a position
  21. tube — a container
  22. track — a path
  23. mate — to breed
  24. mark — to pay attention

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