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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. When are we going to ________________?
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. rest — what's left
  3. land — a country
  4. rest — what's left
  5. pass — a permit
  6. key — the most important part
  7. key — in music
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. spell — a short time
  10. land — ground
  11. rest — a break
  12. charge — a price
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. club — a group
  15. charge — electricity
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. spell — magic
  18. spell — letters
  19. club — for golf
  20. key — for a lock
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. charge — in control
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. club — for dancing

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