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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: rush · prune · charge · hide · shower · cap · pop · pitch

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. pop — soda
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. pop — music
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. cap — a hat
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. pitch — completely
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. pop — to visit
  13. prune — to trim
  14. prune — to trim
  15. cap — a lid
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. charge — electricity
  18. rush — hurry
  19. charge — a price
  20. shower — to wash
  21. charge — in control
  22. cap — of ice
  23. shower — rain
  24. rush — to hurry

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