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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: prune · rush · swing · object · vault · scale · charge · mine

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. rush — hurry
  3. swing — to play on
  4. object — a thing
  5. scale — in music
  6. charge — electricity
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. swing — in golf
  10. charge — in control
  11. swing — music
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. vault — a safe
  15. prune — to trim
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. charge — a price
  18. object — to protest
  19. scale — size or range
  20. object — an aim
  21. mine — for digging
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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