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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. face — to point toward
  3. key — the most important part
  4. key — for a lock
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. charge — a price
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. face — part of the head
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. can — to be able to
  14. face — to confront
  15. wake — a trail
  16. can — a tin
  17. track — a song
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. track — to keep track
  20. track — a path
  21. can — a tin
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. key — in music
  24. charge — in control

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