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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: calf · track · charge · key · squash · sharp · march · mouse

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. charge — a price
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. charge — electricity
  6. march — music
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. track — a song
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. squash — the sport
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. key — for a lock
  15. key — in music
  16. track — to keep track
  17. march — the month
  18. key — the most important part
  19. squash — to crush
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. charge — in control
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. march — the month
  24. sharp — clever

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