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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 · track · cap · fine · leaves · bowl · trunk · suit

  1. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. suit — in cards
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. cap — of ice
  9. track — a song
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. charge — a price
  13. cap — a hat
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. suit — clothes
  16. charge — in control
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. suit — to fit
  19. cap — a lid
  20. track — to keep track
  21. charge — electricity
  22. fine — high quality
  23. fine — all right
  24. track — a path

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