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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 · key · squash · pass · swing · chest · cabinet · stock

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. swing — to play on
  4. charge — a price
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. charge — electricity
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. swing — music
  11. key — the most important part
  12. squash — the sport
  13. stock — shares
  14. charge — in control
  15. stock — goods
  16. chest — of your body
  17. swing — in golf
  18. key — for a lock
  19. pass — a permit
  20. key — in music
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. chest — a box
  24. chest — of your 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