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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: fork · snap · key · charge · firm · land · fan · object

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. land — ground
  3. charge — a price
  4. object — to protest
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. firm — steady
  7. object — a thing
  8. land — to come down
  9. firm — a company
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. key — for a lock
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. fork — in a road
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. key — the most important part
  18. land — a country
  19. charge — in control
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. snap — to click
  22. object — an aim
  23. firm — decided
  24. charge — electricity

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