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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
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: charge · rush · game · swing · content · key · fall · bay

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. key — for a lock
  4. charge — in control
  5. fall — to drop
  6. fall — the season
  7. content — happy
  8. rush — hurry
  9. game — wild animals
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. charge — a price
  12. fall — to drop
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. swing — in golf
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. game — a match
  17. content — the amount
  18. swing — music
  19. key — the most important part
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. key — in music
  22. swing — to play on
  23. charge — electricity
  24. content — videos and posts

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