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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. key — in music
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. spell — a short time
  5. key — the most important part
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. drill — army training
  9. charge — a price
  10. plane — a tool
  11. spell — letters
  12. drill — the tool
  13. net — for catching
  14. spell — magic
  15. charge — in control
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. net — after costs
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. drill — a practice
  22. key — for a lock
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. net — in sport

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