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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: charge · prune · date · bound · toast · object · foot · ruler

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. bound — certain
  3. charge — in control
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. bound — obliged
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. prune — to trim
  10. object — a thing
  11. toast — bread
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. bound — tied together
  16. charge — electricity
  17. charge — a price
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. object — to protest
  21. date — the fruit
  22. object — an aim
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. foot — a measure

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