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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
468
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: fan · track · charge · rash · saw · racket · wake · bay

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. rash — a series
  3. track — a song
  4. track — to keep track
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. saw — the tool
  8. charge — in control
  9. track — a path
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. charge — a price
  14. rash — hasty
  15. wake — a trail
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. saw — the tool
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. wake — before a funeral

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