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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: kick · deal · charge · rule · root · racket · date · stick

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. date — the fruit
  4. charge — electricity
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. deal — to handle
  9. charge — a price
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. root — of a plant
  15. charge — in control
  16. kick — in football
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. root — of a word
  20. rule — government
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. root — the cause
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. rule — a law

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