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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: pitcher · cabinet · nail · lean · court · key · charge · bulb

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. court — for sport
  4. charge — in control
  5. charge — a price
  6. key — the most important part
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. lean — to bend
  10. bulb — for light
  11. key — in music
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. charge — electricity
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. court — of law
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. court — of a king
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. bulb — for light
  23. lean — thin
  24. key — for a lock

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