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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: mine · charge · fall · key · bay · kid · rush · mug

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. fall — the season
  5. charge — electricity
  6. fall — to drop
  7. key — the most important part
  8. mug — to rob
  9. rush — hurry
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. key — for a lock
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. charge — a price
  14. mug — a face
  15. mine — for digging
  16. kid — to tease
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. key — in music
  19. fall — to drop
  20. kid — child
  21. charge — in control
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. rush — a thrill

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