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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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. club — for dancing
  3. key — in music
  4. key — for a lock
  5. squash — to crush
  6. charge — electricity
  7. hand — in cards
  8. bank — for money
  9. fine — high quality
  10. season — of the year
  11. fine — all right
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. club — for golf
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. charge — a price
  16. bank — for money
  17. key — the most important part
  18. season — in sport
  19. squash — the sport
  20. bank — of a river
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. charge — in control
  23. hand — help
  24. club — a group

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