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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. club — for dancing
  3. firm — steady
  4. chair — a leader
  5. net — for catching
  6. prune — to trim
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. club — for golf
  9. charge — a price
  10. rock — music
  11. firm — a company
  12. charge — electricity
  13. net — after costs
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. firm — decided
  16. prune — to trim
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. rock — a stone
  19. club — a group
  20. net — in sport
  21. pass — a permit
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. charge — in control

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