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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 120 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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. charge — a price
  3. scale — size or range
  4. lie — to recline
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. prune — to trim
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. rule — a law
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. rule — government
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. charge — in control
  16. deal — to handle
  17. prune — to trim
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. scale — in music
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. charge — electricity
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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