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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: charge · rest · key · field · nail · sharp · season · fine

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. field — farmland
  3. field — a subject
  4. charge — in control
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. key — the most important part
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. charge — electricity
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. key — in music
  12. rest — what's left
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. fine — high quality
  15. fine — all right
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. sharp — clever
  18. key — for a lock
  19. season — of the year
  20. rest — a break
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. field — for sport
  23. rest — what's left
  24. charge — a price

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