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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
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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: date · stick · spring · fall · current · ball · charge · suit

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  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. suit — clothes
  2. current — electric
  3. suit — to fit
  4. charge — electricity
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. fall — the season
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. spring — the season
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. spring — a coil
  11. ball — a dance
  12. fall — to drop
  13. charge — a price
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. ball — a great time
  16. date — the fruit
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. current — of water
  19. charge — in control
  20. suit — in cards
  21. current — happening now
  22. spring — of water
  23. fall — to drop
  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