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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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Word bank
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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. charge — in control
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. row — a line
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. object — an aim
  8. object — a thing
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. key — the most important part
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. object — to protest
  15. season — in sport
  16. capital — a city
  17. key — in music
  18. charge — a price
  19. row — to paddle
  20. season — of the year
  21. capital — money
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. charge — electricity
  24. toast — bread

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