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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: charge · rush · land · club · key · arm · sharp · ball

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. key — for a lock
  4. sharp — clever
  5. ball — a great time
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. land — ground
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. land — to come down
  10. ball — a dance
  11. charge — a price
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. rush — hurry
  14. charge — in control
  15. key — the most important part
  16. club — for dancing
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. club — for golf
  20. key — in music
  21. land — a country
  22. club — a group
  23. charge — electricity
  24. arm — a part of something

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