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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: lash · mark · charge · swing · spring · field · track · kid

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. track — a song
  3. field — for sport
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. swing — music
  6. swing — in golf
  7. kid — to tease
  8. spring — of water
  9. charge — electricity
  10. track — to keep track
  11. field — a subject
  12. mark — a grade
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. charge — in control
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. swing — to play on
  18. mark — a trace
  19. field — farmland
  20. spring — the season
  21. charge — a price
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. spring — a coil
  24. kid — child

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