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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: pound · ball · charge · key · rule · fork · lash · press

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. key — in music
  3. charge — a price
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. rule — a law
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. press — a publisher
  8. charge — in control
  9. fork — in a road
  10. ball — a great time
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. press — newspapers
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. key — the most important part
  15. press — to push
  16. charge — electricity
  17. rule — government
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. key — for a lock
  20. ball — a dance
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. pound — a weight
  24. fork — a garden tool

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