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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: pound · date · racket · ball · charge · track · wax · spring

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. charge — a price
  3. spring — of water
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. ball — a dance
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. wax — to grow
  12. ball — a great time
  13. track — a path
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. pound — a weight
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. charge — electricity
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. track — a song
  20. date — the fruit
  21. charge — in control
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. spring — a coil
  24. track — to keep track

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