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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: fork · charge · pitcher · coach · face · key · object · roll

  1. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. face — to point toward
  2. key — for a lock
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. roll — a cake
  6. key — the most important part
  7. object — a thing
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. roll — a list
  11. charge — in control
  12. fork — in a road
  13. key — in music
  14. face — to confront
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. charge — a price
  21. face — part of the head
  22. object — an aim
  23. object — to protest
  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