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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.

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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: fan · bass · track · suit · race · charge · last · fork

  1. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. charge — in control
  3. suit — to fit
  4. bass — the fish
  5. bass — low music
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. track — a path
  9. last — finally
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. charge — electricity
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. race — a contest
  14. last — to go on
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. track — a song
  17. track — to keep track
  18. suit — in cards
  19. fork — in a road
  20. race — the arms race
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. race — humankind
  23. suit — clothes
  24. charge — a price

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