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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: key · temple · press · club · charge · board · pop · bat

  1. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. charge — electricity
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. press — a publisher
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. club — for golf
  7. key — in music
  8. bat — the animal
  9. press — to push
  10. pop — music
  11. key — for a lock
  12. pop — to visit
  13. charge — a price
  14. board — a committee
  15. charge — in control
  16. club — a group
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. club — for dancing
  21. press — newspapers
  22. key — the most important part
  23. pop — soda
  24. board — to get on

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