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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: wax · present · charge · date · deal · bay · club · season

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. charge — in control
  3. date — the fruit
  4. season — of the year
  5. present — there
  6. club — a group
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. club — for dancing
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. season — in sport
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. club — for golf
  14. charge — electricity
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. present — the time now
  17. present — a gift
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. deal — to handle
  24. wax — to grow

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