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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: net · race · pitcher · charge · season · suit · plane · club

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. race — the arms race
  3. season — in sport
  4. plane — a tool
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. suit — in cards
  7. net — in sport
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. race — a contest
  10. season — of the year
  11. race — humankind
  12. suit — clothes
  13. club — for dancing
  14. club — for golf
  15. charge — electricity
  16. net — after costs
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. charge — in control
  19. club — a group
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. charge — a price
  24. net — for catching

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