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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: bear · prune · sharp · rock · foot · charge · rule · fine

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. bear — the animal
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. foot — a measure
  5. rock — a stone
  6. charge — electricity
  7. bear — the animal
  8. rule — a law
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. rock — music
  11. fine — high quality
  12. fine — all right
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. charge — a price
  17. sharp — clever
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. prune — to trim
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. rule — government
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. charge — in control
  24. prune — to trim

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