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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 · staff · swing · press · board · plane · key · land

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. staff — employees
  3. charge — electricity
  4. key — for a lock
  5. key — in music
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. plane — a tool
  8. board — to get on
  9. land — a country
  10. swing — to play on
  11. staff — employees
  12. key — the most important part
  13. board — a committee
  14. press — newspapers
  15. charge — in control
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. press — a publisher
  18. staff — a stick
  19. swing — in golf
  20. land — to come down
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. swing — music
  23. press — to push
  24. land — ground

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