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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. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. charge — electricity
  3. spell — magic
  4. prune — to trim
  5. squash — the sport
  6. mug — to rob
  7. mug — a cup
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. charge — in control
  10. pit — in a race
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. spell — letters
  16. prune — to trim
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. pit — a hole
  21. squash — to crush
  22. spell — a short time
  23. mug — a face
  24. charge — a price

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