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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: fine · branch · track · charge · ground · face · fan · safe

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. face — to confront
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. ground — a position
  5. track — to keep track
  6. face — to point toward
  7. branch — a division
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. fine — all right
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. face — part of the head
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. charge — a price
  15. ground — crushed
  16. charge — electricity
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. fine — high quality
  20. track — a song
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. ground — the earth
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. charge — in control

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