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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 116 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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. key — for a lock
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. suit — in cards
  6. fork — in a road
  7. charge — electricity
  8. key — in music
  9. file — a document
  10. file — a tool
  11. rush — hurry
  12. key — the most important part
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. degree — from a university
  15. charge — in control
  16. degree — temperature
  17. charge — a price
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. degree — an amount
  21. suit — to fit
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. file — a line of people
  24. suit — clothes

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