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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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468
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: date · charge · club · pitcher · racket · mate · plane · bear

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. date — the fruit
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. mate — to breed
  7. bear — the animal
  8. charge — in control
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. mate — a friend
  12. mate — a partner
  13. bear — the animal
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. club — for golf
  17. charge — electricity
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. charge — a price
  20. plane — a tool
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. club — for dancing

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