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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. key — in music
  4. content — happy
  5. key — the most important part
  6. staff — employees
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. charge — electricity
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. degree — an amount
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. key — for a lock
  13. bank — for money
  14. staff — employees
  15. bank — for money
  16. charge — in control
  17. plane — a tool
  18. degree — temperature
  19. bank — of a river
  20. staff — a stick
  21. content — the amount
  22. degree — from a university
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. ruler — a monarch

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