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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: lean · pitcher · charge · scale · prune · bore · foot · rule

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. foot — a measure
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. rule — government
  6. bore — to tire
  7. lean — to bend
  8. lean — thin
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. bore — to drill
  11. prune — to trim
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. rule — a law
  14. prune — to trim
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. scale — in music
  17. charge — electricity
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. scale — size or range
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. charge — in control
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. charge — a price

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