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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: bowl · bear · clip · date · coach · saw · charge · suit

  1. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. date — the fruit
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. charge — in control
  5. suit — in cards
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. charge — electricity
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. bear — the animal
  11. suit — clothes
  12. saw — the tool
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. saw — the tool
  15. bear — the animal
  16. clip — a video
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. clip — to cut
  20. clip — for paper
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. charge — a price
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. suit — to fit

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