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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 120 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: leaves · press · safe · cell · charge · bark · key · wound

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  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. charge — a price
  2. key — the most important part
  3. charge — in control
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. cell — a phone
  6. press — newspapers
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. wound — an injury
  11. wound — an injury
  12. charge — electricity
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. press — a publisher
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. cell — in biology
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. bark — to shout
  19. press — to push
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. key — for a lock
  23. leaves — to go away
  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