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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. charge — electricity
  4. fine — all right
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. bass — the fish
  9. rest — what's left
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. content — the amount
  13. key — in music
  14. content — happy
  15. fine — high quality
  16. rash — hasty
  17. rash — a series
  18. rest — what's left
  19. charge — a price
  20. rest — a break
  21. charge — in control
  22. key — the most important part
  23. bass — low music
  24. fine — a penalty

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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