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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 · chip · ball · bear · saw · charge · suit · bat

  1. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. suit — in cards
  3. saw — the tool
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. charge — electricity
  6. track — a path
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. chip — to eat
  9. charge — a price
  10. track — a song
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. saw — the tool
  13. bear — the animal
  14. suit — to fit
  15. ball — a great time
  16. bear — the animal
  17. chip — for betting
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. charge — in control
  20. suit — clothes
  21. ball — a dance
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. track — to keep track
  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