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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 120 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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. club — for golf
  3. club — a group
  4. key — for a lock
  5. tube — a container
  6. rock — a stone
  7. charge — a price
  8. key — the most important part
  9. land — a country
  10. charge — electricity
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. charge — in control
  13. land — ground
  14. land — to come down
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. tube — the underground
  17. pass — a permit
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. club — for dancing
  21. dip — to sink
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. rock — music
  24. key — in music

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