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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: object · stick · charge · deal · pit · key · game · fan

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. key — for a lock
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. pit — a hole
  7. charge — a price
  8. object — a thing
  9. charge — in control
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. game — wild animals
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. charge — electricity
  16. deal — to handle
  17. key — the most important part
  18. object — to protest
  19. pit — in a race
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. game — a match
  23. key — in music
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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