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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
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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: fall · key · press · bat · charge · bowl · plane · firm

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. key — the most important part
  3. charge — electricity
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. bat — the animal
  7. key — in music
  8. fall — to drop
  9. press — to push
  10. press — a publisher
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. plane — a tool
  14. firm — a company
  15. charge — a price
  16. firm — steady
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. firm — decided
  19. key — for a lock
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. fall — to drop
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. fall — the season
  24. press — newspapers

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