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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.

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: pit · last · land · racket · object · key · charge · cue

  1. False peace will not ________________.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. object — a thing
  3. cue — for pool
  4. last — finally
  5. charge — in control
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. pit — in a race
  8. cue — a hint
  9. key — for a lock
  10. land — a country
  11. pit — a hole
  12. land — ground
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. charge — electricity
  15. object — to protest
  16. key — in music
  17. cue — a signal
  18. last — final
  19. land — to come down
  20. charge — a price
  21. object — an aim
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. key — the most important part

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