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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 120 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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. season — in sport
  3. charge — electricity
  4. suit — clothes
  5. season — of the year
  6. suit — in cards
  7. wind — moving air
  8. suit — to fit
  9. charge — a price
  10. board — to get on
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. charge — in control
  16. board — a committee
  17. wind — moving air
  18. kick — in football
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. prune — to trim
  21. key — for a lock
  22. prune — to trim
  23. key — in music
  24. key — the most important part

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