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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. march — the month
  3. charge — in control
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. row — to paddle
  7. firm — decided
  8. charge — a price
  9. march — music
  10. key — for a lock
  11. sharp — clever
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. key — in music
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. row — a line
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. key — the most important part
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. firm — a company
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. march — the month
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. firm — steady

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