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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: mark · wind · charge · pass · wave · bore · track · row

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. mark — a trace
  4. charge — a price
  5. charge — in control
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. track — to keep track
  8. track — a song
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. pass — a permit
  11. bore — to drill
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. wind — moving air
  14. track — a path
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. row — a line
  18. row — to paddle
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. wind — moving air
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. bore — to tire
  23. charge — electricity
  24. row — a quarrel

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