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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 124 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 dealt a bad ________________.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. key — for a lock
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. charge — in control
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. march — the month
  9. charge — a price
  10. mug — a face
  11. march — the month
  12. march — music
  13. key — in music
  14. mug — to rob
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. key — the most important part
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. charge — electricity
  19. hand — help
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. mug — a cup
  22. date — the fruit
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. hand — part of the body

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