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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: pit · scale · nail · key · stand · track · land · charge

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. charge — a price
  3. track — a path
  4. track — to keep track
  5. land — a country
  6. key — in music
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. land — ground
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. scale — in music
  11. track — a song
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. charge — electricity
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. pit — in a race
  18. land — to come down
  19. key — for a lock
  20. pit — a hole
  21. scale — size or range
  22. key — the most important part
  23. charge — in control
  24. stand — to bear

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