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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: track · mug · shower · charge · fine · bat · key · present

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. key — the most important part
  4. bat — the animal
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. mug — to rob
  7. track — a song
  8. charge — in control
  9. present — a gift
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. charge — a price
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. shower — to wash
  14. shower — rain
  15. key — for a lock
  16. mug — a cup
  17. mug — a face
  18. present — there
  19. fine — all right
  20. track — to keep track
  21. present — the time now
  22. charge — electricity
  23. key — in music
  24. track — a path

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