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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: key · rush · firm · craft · fork · present · lean · charge

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. rush — hurry
  3. firm — steady
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. key — for a lock
  6. charge — a price
  7. firm — a company
  8. present — there
  9. craft — boats
  10. fork — in a road
  11. present — a gift
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. charge — in control
  14. craft — a skill
  15. lean — thin
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. charge — electricity
  20. firm — decided
  21. present — the time now
  22. lean — to bend
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. key — in music

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