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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: track · scale · net · charge · firm · spring · pass · pop

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. firm — steady
  3. net — for catching
  4. track — a path
  5. pop — to visit
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. pop — music
  8. track — to keep track
  9. pass — a permit
  10. charge — a price
  11. scale — size or range
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. scale — in music
  15. spring — of water
  16. track — a song
  17. charge — in control
  18. pop — soda
  19. net — after costs
  20. spring — a coil
  21. firm — a company
  22. firm — decided
  23. net — in sport
  24. spring — the season

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