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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: sharp · prune · shower · pitch · can · charge · wax · fork

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. sharp — clever
  3. can — a tin
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. can — to be able to
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. charge — in control
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. fork — in a road
  12. prune — to trim
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. charge — electricity
  15. can — a tin
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. charge — a price
  18. pitch — completely
  19. prune — to trim
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. wax — to grow
  23. shower — to wash
  24. shower — rain

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