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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: ball · toast · suit · charge · cabinet · date · patient · race

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. charge — electricity
  3. suit — in cards
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. charge — a price
  6. race — a contest
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. race — humankind
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. toast — bread
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. suit — to fit
  17. ball — a great time
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. suit — clothes
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. ball — a dance
  22. charge — in control
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. date — the fruit

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