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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
468
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: charge · vault · jam · fan · mate · track · dip · cap

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. track — to keep track
  4. cap — a hat
  5. charge — in control
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. mate — to breed
  10. track — a path
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. cap — of ice
  13. vault — a safe
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. mate — a partner
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. mate — a friend
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. charge — electricity
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. cap — a lid
  23. dip — to sink
  24. track — a song

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