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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. file — a document
  3. charge — in control
  4. rush — hurry
  5. key — for a lock
  6. key — in music
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. file — a tool
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. file — a line of people
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. clip — a video
  15. clip — to cut
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. deal — to handle
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. clip — for paper
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. charge — electricity
  22. ball — a great time
  23. ball — a dance
  24. charge — a price

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