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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. pass — a permit
  3. key — for a lock
  4. march — the month
  5. hand — help
  6. charge — a price
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. mug — to rob
  11. charge — electricity
  12. mug — a face
  13. key — in music
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. hand — in cards
  17. craft — boats
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. march — music
  20. march — the month
  21. craft — a skill
  22. mug — a cup
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. key — the most important part

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