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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. band — a ring
  3. ground — a position
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. can — to be able to
  6. charge — in control
  7. band — a music group
  8. club — for golf
  9. can — a tin
  10. present — a gift
  11. ground — crushed
  12. club — for dancing
  13. ground — the earth
  14. can — a tin
  15. charge — electricity
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. key — in music
  20. club — a group
  21. present — there
  22. charge — a price
  23. key — the most important part
  24. present — the time now

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