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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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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: charge · bulb · rule · pound · drill · rush · fine · key

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. bulb — for light
  3. key — for a lock
  4. charge — in control
  5. key — in music
  6. charge — a price
  7. drill — a practice
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. key — the most important part
  10. drill — army training
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. fine — all right
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. pound — a weight
  18. fine — high quality
  19. rush — hurry
  20. drill — the tool
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. charge — electricity
  23. rule — government
  24. rule — a law

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