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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: suit · charge · row · cell · rush · fall · prune · mark

  1. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. mark — a grade
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. mark — a trace
  5. fall — to drop
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. charge — in control
  9. fall — the season
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. row — to paddle
  12. rush — hurry
  13. cell — in biology
  14. fall — to drop
  15. charge — a price
  16. suit — in cards
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. suit — clothes
  20. prune — to trim
  21. cell — a phone
  22. suit — to fit
  23. charge — electricity
  24. prune — to trim

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