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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 116 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: pit · bulb · rush · pound · prune · straw · mouse · charge

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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. pound — a weight
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. charge — electricity
  8. prune — to trim
  9. charge — a price
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. pit — a hole
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. charge — in control
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. pit — in a race
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bulb — for light
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. straw — a straw man

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