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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 · plane · swing · date · board · foot · kick · last

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. last — finally
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. last — final
  8. plane — a tool
  9. board — to get on
  10. foot — a measure
  11. last — to go on
  12. swing — music
  13. board — a committee
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. charge — electricity
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. charge — in control
  18. swing — in golf
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. date — the fruit
  21. charge — a price
  22. kick — in football
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. kick — with a leg

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