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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 116 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: season · ball · charge · wake · suit · club · bound · net

  1. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. charge — electricity
  3. suit — to fit
  4. charge — in control
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. wake — a trail
  7. charge — a price
  8. ball — a great time
  9. net — after costs
  10. season — in sport
  11. club — for dancing
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. season — of the year
  14. club — a group
  15. bound — obliged
  16. bound — certain
  17. suit — in cards
  18. club — for golf
  19. bound — tied together
  20. ball — a dance
  21. suit — clothes
  22. net — in sport
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. wake — before a funeral

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