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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: cap · pound · prune · charge · saw · fine

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. saw — the tool
  3. pound — a weight
  4. charge — in control
  5. saw — the tool
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. prune — to trim
  8. fine — high quality
  9. charge — a price
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. charge — electricity
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. prune — to trim
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. cap — a lid
  16. fine — all right
  17. cap — a hat
  18. saw — past of 'see'

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