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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: spell · prune · deal · court · fine · ruler · fall · charge

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. charge — a price
  5. court — for sport
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. deal — to handle
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. court — of law
  10. charge — electricity
  11. spell — a short time
  12. charge — in control
  13. court — of a king
  14. fall — to drop
  15. fine — all right
  16. spell — magic
  17. prune — to trim
  18. spell — letters
  19. prune — to trim
  20. fall — the season
  21. fall — to drop
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. fine — high quality
  24. ruler — a monarch

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