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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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 rubber band
  3. shower — rain
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. key — in music
  7. key — the most important part
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. band — a music group
  11. charge — a price
  12. pass — a permit
  13. charge — in control
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. tube — the underground
  16. file — a tool
  17. file — a document
  18. band — a ring
  19. charge — electricity
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. tube — a container
  23. shower — to wash
  24. file — a line of people

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