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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 116 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 · lie · racket · firm · saw · row · wind · key

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. key — for a lock
  4. firm — steady
  5. saw — the tool
  6. wind — moving air
  7. charge — electricity
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. charge — in control
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. row — a line
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. key — the most important part
  14. firm — decided
  15. lie — to recline
  16. firm — a company
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. charge — a price
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. saw — the tool
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. wind — moving air
  24. row — to paddle

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