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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: suit · plane · bank · date · current · field · charge · pound

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. pound — a weight
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. suit — in cards
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. charge — electricity
  9. bank — of a river
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. charge — a price
  12. field — for sport
  13. current — happening now
  14. current — of water
  15. field — farmland
  16. current — electric
  17. suit — clothes
  18. suit — to fit
  19. field — a subject
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. bank — for money
  22. charge — in control
  23. date — the fruit
  24. plane — a tool

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