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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 120 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: cap · staff · track · suit · snap · wave · charge · fine

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. track — a path
  3. fine — high quality
  4. suit — to fit
  5. charge — electricity
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. suit — in cards
  8. charge — in control
  9. staff — employees
  10. fine — all right
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. cap — a hat
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. cap — a lid
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. charge — a price
  18. staff — employees
  19. cap — of ice
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. track — to keep track
  22. track — a song
  23. snap — to click
  24. suit — clothes

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