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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. object — an aim
  4. prune — to trim
  5. object — a thing
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. object — to protest
  9. charge — a price
  10. drill — the tool
  11. charge — electricity
  12. drill — army training
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. charge — in control
  15. pitch — completely
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. rash — a series
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. rash — hasty
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. craft — a skill
  22. prune — to trim
  23. wake — a trail
  24. craft — boats

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