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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.

Words on the sheet
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: cap · racket · hand · clip · stand · charge · date · cabinet

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. hand — in cards
  3. hand — help
  4. cap — of ice
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. cap — a hat
  8. clip — to cut
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. charge — in control
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. stand — to bear
  13. charge — a price
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. clip — for paper
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. cap — a lid
  21. date — the fruit
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. charge — electricity
  24. clip — a video

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