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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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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: key · charge · sharp · prune · pass · lie

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. pass — a permit
  3. charge — electricity
  4. prune — to trim
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. key — the most important part
  8. key — for a lock
  9. charge — a price
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. key — in music
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. prune — to trim
  14. lie — to recline
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. sharp — clever
  17. charge — in control
  18. lie — an untruth

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