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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: fall · bay · charge · bank · ball · degree · track · net

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. track — a song
  3. bank — for money
  4. charge — in control
  5. charge — electricity
  6. fall — to drop
  7. ball — a great time
  8. charge — a price
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. track — a path
  12. ball — a dance
  13. net — after costs
  14. fall — to drop
  15. track — to keep track
  16. bank — for money
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. degree — an amount
  19. fall — the season
  20. degree — from a university
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. bank — of a river
  23. degree — temperature
  24. net — for catching

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