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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 · charge · march · cap · fork · mouse · deal · firm

  1. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. firm — steady
  3. cap — a lid
  4. charge — a price
  5. charge — in control
  6. track — a path
  7. charge — electricity
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. cap — of ice
  11. firm — a company
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. march — the month
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. march — music
  18. march — the month
  19. fork — in a road
  20. firm — decided
  21. track — to keep track
  22. deal — to handle
  23. track — a song
  24. cap — a hat

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