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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. ground — a position
  3. prune — to trim
  4. ground — the earth
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. rest — what's left
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. charge — a price
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. rest — a break
  11. ground — crushed
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. suit — clothes
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. rest — what's left
  19. content — the amount
  20. suit — in cards
  21. charge — in control
  22. content — happy
  23. suit — to fit
  24. prune — to trim

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