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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
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: mate · charge · can · rash · calf · prune · tear · pitcher

  1. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a friend
  2. charge — in control
  3. charge — electricity
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. tear — from crying
  7. can — to be able to
  8. rash — hasty
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. can — a tin
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. mate — to breed
  15. mate — a partner
  16. tear — from crying
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. prune — to trim
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. can — a tin
  21. rash — a series
  22. prune — to trim
  23. tear — to rip
  24. charge — a price

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