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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 116 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: rush · lie · stick · fan · key · content · cabinet · charge

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. rush — hurry
  4. key — for a lock
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. content — happy
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. key — in music
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. key — the most important part
  15. charge — a price
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. charge — electricity
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. content — the amount
  20. lie — to recline
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. lie — an untruth

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