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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: racket · prune · cabinet · charge · saw · march · suit · date

  1. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. march — the month
  5. saw — the tool
  6. march — music
  7. suit — in cards
  8. date — the fruit
  9. charge — a price
  10. charge — electricity
  11. prune — to trim
  12. suit — to fit
  13. charge — in control
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. march — the month
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. saw — the tool
  19. suit — clothes
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. prune — to trim
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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