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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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. charge — electricity
  3. key — the most important part
  4. chip — for betting
  5. mate — a partner
  6. squash — to crush
  7. vault — a safe
  8. squash — the sport
  9. mate — a friend
  10. swing — in golf
  11. swing — music
  12. charge — in control
  13. mug — a face
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. mug — a cup
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. key — in music
  19. chip — to eat
  20. mug — to rob
  21. swing — to play on
  22. key — for a lock
  23. mate — to breed
  24. chip — in a computer

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