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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: fan · track · charge · object · fork · mine · key · foot

  1. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. fork — in a road
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. track — a path
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. track — to keep track
  7. charge — in control
  8. object — an aim
  9. charge — a price
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. foot — a measure
  12. key — in music
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. object — to protest
  16. charge — electricity
  17. key — for a lock
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. track — a song
  20. object — a thing
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. key — the most important part
  24. fan — to cool the air

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