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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: charge · pop · season · fall · lash · fine · bore · date

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. bore — to tire
  4. bore — to drill
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. pop — to visit
  8. pop — music
  9. fall — to drop
  10. charge — a price
  11. date — the fruit
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. charge — in control
  15. charge — electricity
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. fall — the season
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. season — in sport
  20. pop — soda
  21. season — of the year
  22. fine — all right
  23. fine — high quality
  24. fall — to drop

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