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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: stick · spell · track · foot · season · nail · prune · charge

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. charge — in control
  6. track — to keep track
  7. track — a path
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. track — a song
  10. spell — a short time
  11. charge — a price
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. prune — to trim
  15. spell — magic
  16. season — in sport
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. season — of the year
  19. prune — to trim
  20. charge — electricity
  21. foot — a measure
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. spell — letters
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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