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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. bat — the animal
  3. key — for a lock
  4. rash — hasty
  5. charge — electricity
  6. key — in music
  7. key — the most important part
  8. charge — a price
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. deal — to handle
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. fork — in a road
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. bore — to tire
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. charge — in control
  19. rash — a series
  20. bore — to drill
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. bat — for baseball

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