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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
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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: bat · bore · pop · craft · date · track · bound · charge

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. pop — soda
  4. date — the fruit
  5. track — to keep track
  6. bore — to tire
  7. pop — to visit
  8. bore — to drill
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. charge — a price
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. bound — certain
  14. bat — the animal
  15. craft — a skill
  16. track — a path
  17. track — a song
  18. charge — electricity
  19. bound — obliged
  20. pop — music
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. craft — boats
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. bound — tied together

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