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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: leaves · club · charge · date · hide · track · swing · mouse

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. charge — a price
  3. club — for golf
  4. date — the fruit
  5. club — a group
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. track — to keep track
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. track — a path
  10. swing — to play on
  11. swing — in golf
  12. charge — electricity
  13. track — a song
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. club — for dancing
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. charge — in control
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. swing — music
  24. hide — animal skin

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