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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
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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 · mouse · file · net · charge · bass · hide · scale

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. file — a tool
  4. charge — electricity
  5. track — to keep track
  6. file — a line of people
  7. net — after costs
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. bass — low music
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. charge — a price
  13. net — for catching
  14. net — in sport
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. scale — in music
  18. track — a path
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. file — a document
  22. bass — the fish
  23. track — a song
  24. scale — size or range

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