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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: rule · fine · club · key · charge · ground · bear · can

  1. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. rule — a law
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. can — a tin
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. fine — high quality
  7. can — a tin
  8. ground — the earth
  9. rule — government
  10. club — for golf
  11. charge — electricity
  12. bear — the animal
  13. charge — in control
  14. key — for a lock
  15. club — a group
  16. ground — a position
  17. key — in music
  18. key — the most important part
  19. ground — crushed
  20. bear — the animal
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. can — to be able to
  23. charge — a price
  24. fine — all right

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