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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 120 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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. key — the most important part
  3. drill — a practice
  4. key — in music
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. charge — a price
  7. wound — an injury
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. rash — a series
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. wound — an injury
  12. charge — electricity
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. deal — to handle
  16. rash — hasty
  17. chip — to eat
  18. charge — in control
  19. drill — the tool
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. drill — army training
  22. chip — for betting
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. safe — a strongbox

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