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

Word bank: pound · stick · cue · fall · prune · present · ball · charge

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. present — a gift
  3. prune — to trim
  4. charge — electricity
  5. cue — a hint
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. ball — a dance
  8. prune — to trim
  9. present — the time now
  10. charge — in control
  11. fall — to drop
  12. pound — a weight
  13. fall — to drop
  14. present — there
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. cue — for pool
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. cue — a signal
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. fall — the season
  22. charge — a price
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. ball — a great time

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