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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. mark — a grade
  4. key — the most important part
  5. charge — in control
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. charge — a price
  9. key — in music
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. mark — a trace
  12. row — to paddle
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. key — for a lock
  15. row — a line
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. fork — in a road
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. charge — electricity
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. fork — a garden tool

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