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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: band · mug · bound · season · deal · nail · charge · prune

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. bound — obliged
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. season — in sport
  5. mug — a face
  6. deal — to handle
  7. mug — to rob
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. season — of the year
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. band — a ring
  12. charge — a price
  13. bound — tied together
  14. prune — to trim
  15. bound — certain
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. mug — a cup
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. band — a music group
  20. charge — in control
  21. charge — electricity
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. season — to add flavour

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