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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: track · fall · charge · chip · rush · drill · calf · ground

  1. There's no middle ________________.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. charge — in control
  4. fall — the season
  5. track — a path
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. charge — electricity
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. drill — the tool
  12. charge — a price
  13. fall — to drop
  14. chip — for betting
  15. drill — army training
  16. rush — hurry
  17. chip — to eat
  18. ground — crushed
  19. ground — the earth
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. track — to keep track
  22. drill — a practice
  23. fall — to drop
  24. track — a song

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