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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: charge · ball · ground · trunk · key · fan · file · rest

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. rest — a break
  3. file — a document
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. key — for a lock
  7. charge — electricity
  8. charge — in control
  9. key — in music
  10. charge — a price
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. ground — crushed
  13. ground — a position
  14. ball — a dance
  15. file — a line of people
  16. ball — a great time
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. file — a tool
  19. key — the most important part
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. rest — what's left
  22. ground — the earth
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. fan — a supporter

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