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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: file · track · hide · object · pitcher · charge · cap · bear

  1. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. cap — a hat
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. track — a path
  5. object — to protest
  6. file — a tool
  7. charge — in control
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. bear — the animal
  10. charge — a price
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. track — to keep track
  15. cap — a lid
  16. object — an aim
  17. bear — the animal
  18. file — a document
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. cap — of ice
  21. track — a song
  22. charge — electricity
  23. file — a line of people
  24. object — a thing

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