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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 124 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: sharp · prune · court · patient · cell · kick · cue · charge

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. cue — for pool
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. prune — to trim
  6. charge — in control
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. cell — a phone
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. kick — in football
  14. sharp — clever
  15. court — for sport
  16. court — of a king
  17. cell — in biology
  18. court — of law
  19. charge — electricity
  20. cue — a hint
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. cue — a signal
  23. charge — a price
  24. kick — a thrill

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