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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
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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 · rush · pound · racket · bay · drill · key · season

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. key — the most important part
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. drill — army training
  5. key — for a lock
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. rush — hurry
  9. charge — a price
  10. drill — the tool
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. key — in music
  13. season — in sport
  14. charge — electricity
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. pound — a weight
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. season — of the year
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. drill — a practice
  24. rush — to hurry

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