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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
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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: pop · suit · pitcher · rash · wound · ground · charge · track

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. rash — hasty
  3. ground — the earth
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. pop — music
  6. track — a path
  7. suit — to fit
  8. charge — electricity
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. charge — in control
  11. track — a song
  12. wound — an injury
  13. suit — clothes
  14. track — to keep track
  15. suit — in cards
  16. rash — a series
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. pop — to visit
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. charge — a price
  22. wound — an injury
  23. ground — crushed
  24. ground — a position

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