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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: bay · present · wound · track · bound · charge · bulb · wake

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. charge — electricity
  4. wake — a trail
  5. wound — an injury
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. wound — an injury
  9. track — a path
  10. charge — in control
  11. charge — a price
  12. present — a gift
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. present — the time now
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. bulb — for light
  17. track — a song
  18. bound — obliged
  19. bulb — for light
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. bound — certain
  22. bound — tied together
  23. present — there
  24. bay — a horse colour

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