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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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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: snap · cell · perch · suit · key · bay · charge · land

  1. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. land — to come down
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. charge — a price
  5. cell — in biology
  6. suit — clothes
  7. charge — in control
  8. key — in music
  9. snap — to click
  10. cell — a phone
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. perch — the fish
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. suit — in cards
  18. land — ground
  19. key — for a lock
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. suit — to fit
  22. key — the most important part
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. charge — electricity

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