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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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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 · firm · rush · squash · key · shower · fork · pop

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. firm — decided
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. pop — music
  6. shower — to wash
  7. pop — soda
  8. firm — a company
  9. charge — a price
  10. key — for a lock
  11. firm — steady
  12. charge — electricity
  13. squash — to crush
  14. shower — rain
  15. key — in music
  16. charge — in control
  17. fork — in a road
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. squash — the sport
  20. key — the most important part
  21. pop — to visit
  22. rush — hurry
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. squash — the vegetable

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