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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. drill — army training
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. charge — in control
  5. scale — size or range
  6. suit — in cards
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. pass — a permit
  10. drill — the tool
  11. charge — electricity
  12. scale — in music
  13. drill — a practice
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. suit — clothes
  16. prune — to trim
  17. last — finally
  18. suit — to fit
  19. charge — a price
  20. chip — to eat
  21. last — to go on
  22. chip — for betting
  23. last — final
  24. prune — the fruit

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