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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: perch · squash · mate · ruler · prune · fork · club · charge

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. mate — a partner
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. charge — electricity
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. charge — in control
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. squash — to crush
  11. prune — to trim
  12. club — a group
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. club — for dancing
  15. prune — to trim
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. club — for golf
  18. charge — a price
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. perch — the fish
  22. squash — the sport
  23. mate — a friend
  24. fork — in a road

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