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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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. charge — a price
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. bank — for money
  5. key — for a lock
  6. bank — of a river
  7. bore — to drill
  8. key — in music
  9. bank — for money
  10. mug — a face
  11. club — for dancing
  12. charge — in control
  13. content — happy
  14. charge — electricity
  15. key — the most important part
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. land — a country
  18. club — a group
  19. content — the amount
  20. land — ground
  21. land — to come down
  22. mug — to rob
  23. bore — to tire
  24. mug — a cup

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