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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 116 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: face · vault · chip · bay · sharp · charge · last · track

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. sharp — clever
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. last — final
  5. chip — for betting
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. chip — to eat
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. charge — a price
  10. face — part of the head
  11. track — a song
  12. vault — a safe
  13. last — finally
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. face — to point toward
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. face — to confront
  18. charge — electricity
  19. track — a path
  20. charge — in control
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. last — to go on
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. sharp — with an edge

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