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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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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: key · club · safe · charge · fork · toast · pound · content

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. charge — electricity
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. toast — bread
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. club — for golf
  11. club — a group
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. pound — a weight
  14. key — for a lock
  15. club — for dancing
  16. key — in music
  17. charge — a price
  18. key — the most important part
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. fork — in a road
  22. content — happy
  23. content — the amount
  24. content — videos and posts

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