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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: prune · bark · ruler · charge · cap · straw · mouse · key

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. key — in music
  4. key — the most important part
  5. key — for a lock
  6. prune — to trim
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. cap — a lid
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. charge — a price
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. prune — to trim
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. cap — a hat
  21. bark — to shout
  22. charge — electricity
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. cap — of ice

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