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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
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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 · field · key · last · rule · fork · dip · net

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. fork — in a road
  4. last — final
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. field — farmland
  7. field — a subject
  8. charge — a price
  9. rule — government
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. dip — to sink
  13. field — for sport
  14. last — finally
  15. charge — electricity
  16. rule — a law
  17. charge — in control
  18. net — in sport
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. key — in music
  21. net — after costs
  22. net — for catching
  23. last — to go on
  24. key — for a lock

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