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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. net — in sport
  5. pitch — completely
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. bark — to shout
  8. charge — a price
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. charge — electricity
  11. club — for golf
  12. net — for catching
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. bank — for money
  16. bank — of a river
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. bank — for money
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. club — a group
  21. net — after costs
  22. charge — in control
  23. date — the fruit
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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