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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: charge · tube · pit · shower · jam · track · temple · field

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. shower — rain
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. track — a path
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. charge — electricity
  8. tube — the underground
  9. track — a song
  10. charge — a price
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. shower — to wash
  13. pit — a hole
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. field — farmland
  19. tube — a container
  20. field — a subject
  21. field — for sport
  22. track — to keep track
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. pit — in a race

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