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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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. scale — in music
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. shower — to wash
  6. shower — rain
  7. charge — a price
  8. staff — a stick
  9. swing — to play on
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. prune — to trim
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. swing — music
  17. staff — employees
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. staff — employees
  20. swing — in golf
  21. scale — size or range
  22. charge — in control
  23. charge — electricity
  24. pitcher — a jug

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