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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: pop · drill · charge · track · date · pitcher · object · current

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. pop — music
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. drill — a practice
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. date — the fruit
  7. charge — electricity
  8. drill — army training
  9. track — a path
  10. object — to protest
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. track — a song
  13. charge — a price
  14. object — an aim
  15. current — electric
  16. current — happening now
  17. current — of water
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. charge — in control
  20. object — a thing
  21. pop — soda
  22. drill — the tool
  23. pop — to visit
  24. pitcher — a jug

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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