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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. key — the most important part
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. object — an aim
  6. key — for a lock
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. chip — for betting
  10. charge — in control
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. object — to protest
  13. key — in music
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. rash — hasty
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. chip — to eat
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. object — a thing
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. charge — a price
  24. rash — a series

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