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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: wake · arm · net · leaves · object · track · charge · fan

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  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. leaves — of a tree
  2. object — to protest
  3. charge — in control
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. net — for catching
  6. wake — a trail
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. track — a song
  11. charge — a price
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. charge — electricity
  14. net — after costs
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. object — an aim
  19. net — in sport
  20. track — to keep track
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. object — a thing
  23. arm — part of the body
  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