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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
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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: dip · mug · rash · stock · charge · track · file · plane

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. plane — a tool
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. mug — a cup
  5. charge — in control
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. mug — a face
  8. charge — a price
  9. track — a path
  10. charge — electricity
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. file — a tool
  13. dip — to sink
  14. file — a line of people
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. mug — to rob
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. track — to keep track
  20. stock — shares
  21. file — a document
  22. rash — a series
  23. stock — goods
  24. rash — hasty

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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