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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. key — the most important part
  3. cell — in biology
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. cell — a phone
  6. charge — a price
  7. spell — letters
  8. charge — in control
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. spell — a short time
  11. key — in music
  12. charge — electricity
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. board — a committee
  15. key — for a lock
  16. board — to get on
  17. toast — bread
  18. spell — magic

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