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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. charge — in control
  4. fine — high quality
  5. key — in music
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. charge — electricity
  8. branch — a division
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. net — in sport
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. fine — all right
  16. net — after costs
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. dip — to sink
  19. charge — a price
  20. deal — to handle
  21. key — for a lock
  22. net — for catching
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. dip — a sauce

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