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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: jam · charge · bay · craft · lie · track · rule · chest

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. rule — a law
  3. craft — boats
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. chest — a box
  6. chest — of your body
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. charge — a price
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. track — to keep track
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. chest — of your body
  16. craft — a skill
  17. charge — in control
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. lie — to recline
  20. track — a song
  21. rule — government
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. charge — electricity
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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