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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: track · can · net · face · fork · staff · stand · charge

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. staff — a stick
  3. charge — electricity
  4. face — to point toward
  5. stand — to bear
  6. net — after costs
  7. net — in sport
  8. face — part of the head
  9. face — to confront
  10. staff — employees
  11. can — a tin
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. charge — in control
  14. track — to keep track
  15. staff — employees
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. net — for catching
  19. track — a path
  20. charge — a price
  21. fork — in a road
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. track — a song
  24. can — to be able to

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