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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. craft — a skill
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. mate — a partner
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. drill — a practice
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. mate — a friend
  10. cue — for pool
  11. cue — a hint
  12. cue — a signal
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. key — the most important part
  15. mate — to breed
  16. charge — electricity
  17. charge — a price
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. drill — army training
  21. drill — the tool
  22. craft — boats
  23. key — in music
  24. key — for a lock

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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