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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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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 · deal · fork · kid · fan · key · toast · chair

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. deal — to handle
  6. chair — a leader
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. toast — bread
  11. key — for a lock
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. kid — child
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. kid — to tease
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. key — in music
  21. key — the most important part
  22. charge — a price
  23. charge — in control
  24. charge — electricity

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