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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: bowl · race · season · charge · lean · track · bulb · patient

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. season — in sport
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bulb — for light
  6. track — a path
  7. race — humankind
  8. season — of the year
  9. charge — a price
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. lean — to bend
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. charge — in control
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. race — a contest
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. lean — thin
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. race — the arms race
  22. charge — electricity
  23. track — a song
  24. bowl — to roll

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