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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. charge — a price
  4. prune — to trim
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. cap — a lid
  7. cap — a hat
  8. cue — a signal
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. toast — bread
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. stand — to bear
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. charge — in control
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. prune — to trim
  20. cue — for pool
  21. date — the fruit
  22. cap — of ice
  23. wax — to grow
  24. cue — a hint

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