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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. fine — high quality
  3. key — the most important part
  4. clip — to cut
  5. charge — a price
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. fine — all right
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. craft — boats
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. deal — to handle
  14. key — for a lock
  15. charge — electricity
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. pound — a weight
  18. present — there
  19. present — the time now
  20. craft — a skill
  21. clip — a video
  22. key — in music
  23. clip — for paper
  24. present — a gift

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