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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: leaves · tube · staff · charge · degree · content · track · lash

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. track — to keep track
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. track — a song
  6. content — the amount
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. track — a path
  9. degree — temperature
  10. content — happy
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. staff — employees
  13. tube — the underground
  14. charge — a price
  15. staff — a stick
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. charge — electricity
  18. staff — employees
  19. degree — an amount
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. charge — in control
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. degree — from a university

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