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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 · swing · firm · key · mark · tear · toast · suit

  1. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. tear — to rip
  3. swing — music
  4. suit — in cards
  5. charge — a price
  6. charge — in control
  7. key — in music
  8. tear — from crying
  9. suit — to fit
  10. charge — electricity
  11. firm — steady
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. suit — clothes
  15. mark — a trace
  16. firm — a company
  17. toast — bread
  18. tear — from crying
  19. key — for a lock
  20. mark — a grade
  21. swing — in golf
  22. swing — to play on
  23. firm — decided
  24. mark — to pay attention

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