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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 116 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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  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 — a price
  2. prune — to trim
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. charge — in control
  5. object — an aim
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. vault — a safe
  10. perch — the fish
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. staff — employees
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. wax — to grow
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. object — to protest
  20. staff — a stick
  21. object — a thing
  22. staff — employees
  23. charge — electricity
  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