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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.

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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. charge — a price
  4. key — for a lock
  5. club — a group
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. club — for dancing
  9. key — the most important part
  10. root — the cause
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. club — for golf
  13. key — in music
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. root — of a word
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. row — to paddle
  18. charge — electricity
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. row — a line
  21. root — of a plant
  22. deal — to handle
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. hide — to keep secret

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