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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: land · racket · bass · club · snap · track · charge · bulb

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. snap — to click
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. track — a song
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. land — ground
  8. land — a country
  9. club — for golf
  10. bass — low music
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. bass — the fish
  13. land — to come down
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bulb — for light
  17. track — a path
  18. club — for dancing
  19. charge — in control
  20. charge — electricity
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. club — a group
  23. charge — a price
  24. racket — for tennis

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