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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: pop · row · present · can · charge · ruler · track · lie

  1. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. pop — soda
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. track — to keep track
  5. track — a song
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. pop — music
  8. lie — to recline
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. track — a path
  11. pop — to visit
  12. present — there
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. row — to paddle
  15. can — a tin
  16. present — the time now
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. charge — in control
  19. can — to be able to
  20. charge — electricity
  21. charge — a price
  22. row — a line
  23. can — a tin
  24. present — a gift

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