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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: rock · prune · field · bowl · charge · track · ball · lie

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. lie — to recline
  3. field — a subject
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. ball — a dance
  6. charge — in control
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. field — farmland
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. charge — electricity
  12. charge — a price
  13. field — for sport
  14. prune — to trim
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. track — a path
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. rock — a stone
  20. track — to keep track
  21. ball — a great time
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. track — a song
  24. rock — music

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