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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.

Make a worksheet

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: track · can · rush · land · charge · game · perch · calf

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. game — a match
  3. rush — hurry
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. track — to keep track
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. land — to come down
  8. can — a tin
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. game — wild animals
  11. charge — in control
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. can — a tin
  16. perch — the fish
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. charge — electricity
  19. charge — a price
  20. track — a song
  21. land — a country
  22. track — a path
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. land — ground

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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