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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: fine · chest · fan · bark · charge · mark · ball · key

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. bark — to shout
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. mark — a trace
  7. chest — of your body
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. ball — a great time
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. fine — all right
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. key — in music
  14. ball — a dance
  15. key — the most important part
  16. fine — high quality
  17. charge — a price
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. chest — of your body
  20. chest — a box
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. charge — electricity
  23. key — for a lock
  24. mark — a grade

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