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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: content · track · charge · cue · toast · pass · hand · band

  1. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. hand — in cards
  3. charge — in control
  4. cue — a hint
  5. cue — a signal
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. track — a song
  9. band — a ring
  10. track — to keep track
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. charge — a price
  14. hand — help
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. track — a path
  18. band — a music group
  19. charge — electricity
  20. content — happy
  21. pass — a permit
  22. cue — for pool
  23. toast — bread
  24. content — videos and posts

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