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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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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: bank · pound · bore · deal · tear · date · staff · charge

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. staff — employees
  4. charge — electricity
  5. staff — a stick
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. bank — for money
  8. bore — to drill
  9. tear — from crying
  10. charge — in control
  11. tear — to rip
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. pound — a weight
  14. charge — a price
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. tear — from crying
  17. staff — employees
  18. bore — to tire
  19. bank — of a river
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. deal — to handle
  23. bank — for money
  24. pound — to hit hard

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