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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: bear · date · track · racket · prune · drill · charge · bound

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. track — to keep track
  5. drill — army training
  6. charge — electricity
  7. bear — the animal
  8. charge — a price
  9. bear — the animal
  10. date — the fruit
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. charge — in control
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. drill — a practice
  15. track — a song
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. bound — obliged
  18. bound — certain
  19. track — a path
  20. prune — to trim
  21. bound — tied together
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. prune — to trim
  24. date — on the calendar

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