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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: date · spell · charge · branch · track · fine · dip · suit

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. spell — letters
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. track — a song
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. charge — in control
  7. date — the fruit
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. suit — to fit
  10. spell — magic
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. fine — all right
  15. charge — electricity
  16. spell — a short time
  17. track — to keep track
  18. dip — to sink
  19. suit — clothes
  20. charge — a price
  21. branch — a division
  22. suit — in cards
  23. fine — high quality
  24. fine — a penalty

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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