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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 120 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: sharp · mouse · ground · key · charge · bound · scale · chest

  1. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. ground — a position
  3. sharp — clever
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. ground — crushed
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. scale — in music
  8. charge — in control
  9. key — in music
  10. ground — the earth
  11. scale — size or range
  12. charge — electricity
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. bound — tied together
  16. bound — certain
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. chest — of your body
  19. charge — a price
  20. bound — obliged
  21. key — the most important part
  22. chest — a box
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. chest — of your body

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