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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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468
Word bank
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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. key — the most important part
  3. staff — a stick
  4. key — in music
  5. squash — to crush
  6. staff — employees
  7. squash — the sport
  8. hand — in cards
  9. charge — in control
  10. can — a tin
  11. saw — the tool
  12. charge — a price
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. can — a tin
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. charge — electricity
  18. saw — the tool
  19. staff — employees
  20. hand — help
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. can — to be able to

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