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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: stand · spell · rule · racket · track · charge · fan · sharp

  1. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. spell — magic
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. track — a path
  8. charge — a price
  9. spell — a short time
  10. sharp — clever
  11. charge — electricity
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. stand — to bear
  15. rule — a law
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. rule — government
  18. track — a song
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. charge — in control
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. track — to keep track
  24. rule — to rule out

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