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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.

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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: dip · current · bay · content · charge · hand · track · board

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. current — of water
  3. current — electric
  4. content — happy
  5. current — happening now
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. board — a committee
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. track — to keep track
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. board — to get on
  12. dip — to sink
  13. hand — help
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. content — the amount
  17. track — a song
  18. charge — in control
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. charge — a price
  23. hand — in cards
  24. charge — electricity

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