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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: track · hide · ball · charge · mouse · bound · spell · fork

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. bound — certain
  3. fork — in a road
  4. bound — obliged
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. track — to keep track
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. charge — electricity
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. charge — in control
  13. bound — tied together
  14. spell — a short time
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. track — a path
  17. track — a song
  18. charge — a price
  19. spell — letters
  20. ball — a great time
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. ball — a dance
  24. ball — a round shape

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