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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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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: charge · date · kid · vault · bank · racket · court · rock

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  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. charge — in control
  2. date — the fruit
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. rock — music
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. vault — a safe
  8. court — for sport
  9. bank — for money
  10. kid — to tease
  11. court — of a king
  12. court — of law
  13. bank — of a river
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. rock — a stone
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. charge — electricity
  19. bank — for money
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. kid — child
  22. charge — a price
  23. rock — to move gently
  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