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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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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 · cue · bound · row · prune · stick · pop · bore

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. bound — obliged
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. charge — electricity
  5. bound — certain
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. pop — soda
  8. bound — tied together
  9. pop — to visit
  10. prune — to trim
  11. pop — music
  12. charge — in control
  13. row — a line
  14. bore — to tire
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. charge — a price
  19. cue — a hint
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. cue — for pool
  22. prune — to trim
  23. cue — a signal
  24. bore — to drill

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