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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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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: club · pit · rush · plane · charge · fall · mate · toast

  1. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. club — a group
  3. fall — the season
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. fall — to drop
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. mate — a friend
  8. charge — in control
  9. plane — a tool
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. toast — bread
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. charge — electricity
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. charge — a price
  18. pit — a hole
  19. pit — in a race
  20. club — for golf
  21. mate — a partner
  22. rush — hurry
  23. club — for dancing
  24. mate — to breed

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