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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 116 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: rock · racket · key · charge · band · kid · present · fine

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. fine — high quality
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. rock — a stone
  5. charge — in control
  6. charge — a price
  7. present — a gift
  8. fine — all right
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. kid — child
  11. band — a music group
  12. key — for a lock
  13. key — the most important part
  14. present — there
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. band — a ring
  17. charge — electricity
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. key — in music
  21. kid — to tease
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. rock — music
  24. racket — a loud noise

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