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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: saw · temple · current · fork · track · trunk · chip · charge

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. track — to keep track
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. charge — electricity
  6. current — electric
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. charge — a price
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. chip — to eat
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. chip — for betting
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. fork — in a road
  18. current — happening now
  19. charge — in control
  20. saw — the tool
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. track — a song
  23. saw — the tool
  24. current — of water

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