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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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. charge — electricity
  3. pitch — completely
  4. land — to come down
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. prune — to trim
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. current — of water
  11. current — electric
  12. mark — a grade
  13. current — happening now
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. charge — a price
  16. charge — in control
  17. kick — in football
  18. land — a country
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. land — ground
  22. mark — a trace
  23. stand — to bear
  24. kick — a thrill

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