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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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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: foot · charge · club · date · march · branch · rash · capital

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. march — music
  3. charge — in control
  4. club — a group
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. charge — a price
  7. club — for dancing
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. charge — electricity
  10. rash — hasty
  11. foot — a measure
  12. club — for golf
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. branch — a division
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. capital — money
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. rash — a series
  20. march — the month
  21. capital — a city
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. march — the month

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