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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: band · key · deal · charge · drill · date · pitch · plane

  1. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. deal — to handle
  3. plane — a tool
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. key — the most important part
  6. charge — electricity
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. band — a music group
  9. key — in music
  10. pitch — completely
  11. drill — a practice
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. drill — army training
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. charge — a price
  20. date — the fruit
  21. key — for a lock
  22. drill — the tool
  23. charge — in control
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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