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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: game · rule · vault · prune · ball · pound · mate · charge

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. mate — to breed
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. game — a match
  5. charge — electricity
  6. prune — to trim
  7. ball — a great time
  8. charge — in control
  9. ball — a dance
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. vault — a safe
  12. mate — a partner
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. charge — a price
  17. game — wild animals
  18. rule — a law
  19. prune — to trim
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. mate — a friend
  23. rule — government
  24. pound — to hit hard

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