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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · field · pop · kick · ruler · prune · sharp · racket

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. charge — in control
  3. pop — music
  4. sharp — clever
  5. prune — to trim
  6. field — for sport
  7. pop — soda
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. prune — to trim
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. field — farmland
  12. charge — a price
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. charge — electricity
  17. pop — to visit
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. kick — in football
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. field — a subject

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