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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: rest · wake · charge · rush · pitcher · track · deal · staff

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. track — a path
  4. charge — a price
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. charge — in control
  7. track — to keep track
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. wake — a trail
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. charge — electricity
  15. rest — what's left
  16. rest — a break
  17. staff — a stick
  18. rest — what's left
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. staff — employees
  22. rush — hurry
  23. staff — employees
  24. deal — to handle

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