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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: face · key · race · charge · hand · plane · jam · track

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. track — to keep track
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. face — to confront
  5. track — a path
  6. charge — a price
  7. race — humankind
  8. charge — in control
  9. key — the most important part
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. face — part of the head
  15. key — in music
  16. race — a contest
  17. race — the arms race
  18. plane — a tool
  19. track — a song
  20. face — to point toward
  21. hand — help
  22. charge — electricity
  23. key — for a lock
  24. jam — in traffic

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