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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  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. mouse — the animal
  2. key — for a lock
  3. charge — electricity
  4. fine — all right
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. fine — high quality
  7. key — in music
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. charge — a price
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. present — there
  15. sharp — clever
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. present — a gift
  18. charge — in control
  19. stem — to come from
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. key — the most important part
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. present — the time now

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