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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 116 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: mate · key · fan · charge · swing · lash · cell · bore

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. charge — in control
  3. swing — to play on
  4. mate — a friend
  5. mate — a partner
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. key — the most important part
  8. swing — music
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. key — in music
  11. key — for a lock
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. mate — to breed
  15. cell — a phone
  16. charge — electricity
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. cell — in biology
  21. swing — in golf
  22. charge — a price
  23. bore — to tire
  24. fan — a supporter

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