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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: rush · bat · charge · fine · sharp · date · deal · branch

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  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. date — the fruit
  2. branch — a division
  3. deal — to handle
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. charge — in control
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. rush — hurry
  9. bat — the animal
  10. fine — high quality
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. charge — a price
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. charge — electricity
  21. fine — all right
  22. sharp — clever
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. date — on the calendar

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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