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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: bass · key · board · chest · season · club · charge · fine

  1. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. charge — in control
  3. fine — high quality
  4. charge — a price
  5. key — the most important part
  6. board — to get on
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. club — a group
  9. fine — all right
  10. season — in sport
  11. key — for a lock
  12. club — for golf
  13. bass — low music
  14. charge — electricity
  15. chest — a box
  16. key — in music
  17. club — for dancing
  18. bass — the fish
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. board — a committee
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. chest — of your body
  24. chest — of your body

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