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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: bore · date · track · spell · charge · wound · can · hide

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. charge — electricity
  3. track — to keep track
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. bore — to drill
  6. spell — letters
  7. track — a path
  8. charge — a price
  9. charge — in control
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. wound — an injury
  12. wound — an injury
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. spell — magic
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. can — to be able to
  19. can — a tin
  20. track — a song
  21. date — the fruit
  22. bore — to tire
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. spell — a short time

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