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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: track · hide · charge · firm · wind · stock · leaves · wound

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. track — to keep track
  3. wound — an injury
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. wound — an injury
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. wind — moving air
  8. stock — shares
  9. track — a path
  10. firm — steady
  11. wind — moving air
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. charge — a price
  16. charge — in control
  17. charge — electricity
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. stock — goods
  23. firm — decided
  24. firm — a company

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