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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: leaves · jam · rule · pound · charge · bass · object · track

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. track — to keep track
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. rule — a law
  6. object — to protest
  7. object — an aim
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. rule — government
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. object — a thing
  15. charge — electricity
  16. charge — a price
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. pound — a weight
  21. track — a path
  22. charge — in control
  23. track — a song
  24. bass — low music

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