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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 120 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: file · game · bay · track · stock · charge · row · trunk

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. track — to keep track
  3. track — a path
  4. row — to paddle
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. row — a line
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. charge — in control
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. file — a line of people
  13. stock — shares
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. charge — a price
  16. game — wild animals
  17. stock — goods
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. charge — electricity
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. file — a document
  22. file — a tool
  23. track — a song
  24. game — a match

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