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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: pound · lean · charge · stand · prune · object · sharp · rule

  1. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. object — an aim
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. charge — a price
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. rule — government
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. pound — a weight
  12. object — a thing
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. prune — to trim
  15. sharp — clever
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. stand — to bear
  18. charge — in control
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. charge — electricity
  21. lean — thin
  22. prune — to trim
  23. rule — a law
  24. object — to protest

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