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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: season · ball · bay · prune · charge · firm · arm · dip

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. ball — a great time
  4. prune — to trim
  5. charge — a price
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. firm — decided
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. ball — a dance
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. dip — to sink
  16. season — of the year
  17. charge — electricity
  18. prune — to trim
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. charge — in control
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. firm — steady
  24. season — in sport

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