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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: track · bear · club · capital · plane · spell · charge · bay

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. spell — magic
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. spell — a short time
  5. plane — a tool
  6. club — for golf
  7. bear — the animal
  8. capital — a city
  9. charge — electricity
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. track — a song
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. track — to keep track
  14. club — a group
  15. capital — money
  16. club — for dancing
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. track — a path
  20. charge — in control
  21. charge — a price
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. bear — the animal
  24. spell — letters

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