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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. charge — a price
  3. cue — a signal
  4. charge — in control
  5. branch — a division
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. rock — a stone
  8. bore — to tire
  9. key — in music
  10. content — the amount
  11. cue — for pool
  12. charge — electricity
  13. cue — a hint
  14. stock — goods
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. stock — shares
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. rock — music
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. key — for a lock
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. bore — to drill
  24. content — happy

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