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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: scale · charge · cap · hide · jam · bound · band · track

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. track — a song
  3. track — a path
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. track — to keep track
  6. band — a music group
  7. cap — a hat
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. charge — in control
  10. scale — size or range
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. charge — a price
  13. cap — a lid
  14. scale — in music
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. charge — electricity
  19. bound — tied together
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. bound — certain
  22. band — a ring
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. bound — obliged

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