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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: key · press · lean · ball · craft · game · object · charge

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. game — a match
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. press — to push
  6. key — in music
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. press — newspapers
  9. charge — a price
  10. lean — thin
  11. craft — a skill
  12. craft — boats
  13. game — wild animals
  14. object — to protest
  15. press — a publisher
  16. ball — a great time
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. object — an aim
  19. charge — in control
  20. charge — electricity
  21. ball — a dance
  22. lean — to bend
  23. key — for a lock
  24. object — a thing

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