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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: lash · fine · track · club · leaves · present · charge · mine

  1. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. club — for golf
  5. track — a path
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. track — a song
  8. charge — electricity
  9. fine — all right
  10. charge — a price
  11. present — a gift
  12. track — to keep track
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. present — there
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. club — a group
  20. fine — high quality
  21. present — the time now
  22. club — for dancing
  23. charge — in control
  24. mine — for digging

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