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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: charge · jam · fall · temple · key · track · bat · cabinet

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. track — to keep track
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. fall — to drop
  8. key — the most important part
  9. track — a path
  10. charge — electricity
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. fall — the season
  13. key — in music
  14. charge — in control
  15. track — a song
  16. fall — to drop
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. bat — the animal
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. charge — a price
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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