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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: spell · race · track · bass · bay · charge · kid · land

  1. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was 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. race — a contest
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. track — a song
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. charge — in control
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. land — to come down
  8. track — to keep track
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. spell — a short time
  11. kid — to tease
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. race — the arms race
  14. race — humankind
  15. land — a country
  16. bass — the fish
  17. spell — letters
  18. charge — a price
  19. charge — electricity
  20. spell — magic
  21. track — a path
  22. bass — low music
  23. kid — child
  24. land — ground

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