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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: leaves · charge · jam · file · stick · track · can · mine

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. track — to keep track
  3. file — a tool
  4. charge — in control
  5. track — a song
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. file — a line of people
  9. can — a tin
  10. can — to be able to
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. file — a document
  14. can — a tin
  15. charge — a price
  16. track — a path
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. charge — electricity
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. mine — for digging
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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