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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. fine — high quality
  4. charge — in control
  5. pass — a permit
  6. fine — all right
  7. charge — a price
  8. bore — to tire
  9. prune — to trim
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. rest — what's left
  13. land — a country
  14. bore — to drill
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. rest — what's left
  17. land — ground
  18. land — to come down
  19. pitch — completely
  20. rest — a break
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. bore — gave birth
  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