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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. drill — army training
  3. lean — to bend
  4. key — in music
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. key — for a lock
  7. charge — a price
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. drill — the tool
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. sharp — clever
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. charge — electricity
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. key — the most important part
  19. drill — a practice
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. prune — to trim
  22. prune — to trim
  23. lean — thin
  24. date — the fruit

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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