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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
468
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: charge · key · saw · plane · march · wind · track · arm

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. march — the month
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. track — a song
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. march — music
  9. saw — the tool
  10. charge — a price
  11. key — the most important part
  12. plane — a tool
  13. wind — moving air
  14. wind — moving air
  15. key — for a lock
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. march — the month
  18. charge — electricity
  19. track — a path
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. key — in music
  22. saw — the tool
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. track — to keep track

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