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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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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: rock · charge · can · patient · foot · track · staff · key

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. key — the most important part
  3. key — for a lock
  4. staff — employees
  5. foot — a measure
  6. rock — music
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. track — to keep track
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. charge — a price
  13. can — a tin
  14. can — a tin
  15. rock — a stone
  16. charge — in control
  17. charge — electricity
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. staff — a stick
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. key — in music
  22. track — a path
  23. staff — employees
  24. can — to be able to

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