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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: charge · mate · mug · track · current · calf · deal · bark

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. charge — in control
  3. mug — a cup
  4. current — electric
  5. charge — a price
  6. mate — a partner
  7. mug — to rob
  8. track — a path
  9. current — happening now
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. track — to keep track
  13. charge — electricity
  14. bark — to shout
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. mug — a face
  17. mate — a friend
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. current — of water
  21. deal — to handle
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. track — a song
  24. calf — of the leg

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