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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: date · pitcher · last · object · charge · bass · wave · staff

  1. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. charge — in control
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. last — final
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. last — finally
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. date — the fruit
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. object — a thing
  13. bass — the fish
  14. object — to protest
  15. staff — a stick
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. last — to go on
  18. charge — a price
  19. object — an aim
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. bass — low music
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. charge — electricity
  24. staff — employees

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