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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 116 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: last · charge · track · fall · safe · wound · face · content

  1. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. last — finally
  5. track — a song
  6. charge — a price
  7. last — to go on
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. face — part of the head
  10. fall — to drop
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. content — the amount
  14. charge — electricity
  15. charge — in control
  16. track — a path
  17. content — happy
  18. fall — the season
  19. wound — an injury
  20. face — to point toward
  21. track — to keep track
  22. face — to confront
  23. wound — an injury
  24. fall — to drop

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