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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: prune · cell · bay · ruler · charge · snap

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. prune — to trim
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. prune — to trim
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. snap — to click
  7. charge — in control
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. cell — in biology
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. charge — electricity
  15. charge — a price
  16. cell — a phone
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. bay — a horse colour

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