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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: toast · stick · fall · charge · key · degree · track · court

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. toast — bread
  4. fall — to drop
  5. track — to keep track
  6. court — for sport
  7. key — for a lock
  8. degree — an amount
  9. track — a song
  10. court — of a king
  11. fall — the season
  12. key — in music
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. track — a path
  15. degree — from a university
  16. charge — in control
  17. degree — temperature
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. court — of law
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. charge — electricity
  22. key — the most important part
  23. charge — a price
  24. fall — to drop

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