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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: charge · stick · clip · plane · face · track · pass · coach

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. charge — in control
  3. track — a path
  4. track — a song
  5. charge — electricity
  6. charge — a price
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. plane — a tool
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. track — to keep track
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. face — to point toward
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. face — to confront
  19. clip — to cut
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. clip — a video
  22. clip — for paper
  23. face — part of the head
  24. pass — a permit

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