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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: field · prune · fine · rush · face · ground · ball · charge

  1. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. rush — hurry
  3. ground — a position
  4. charge — in control
  5. ball — a dance
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. face — to point toward
  8. field — a subject
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. ball — a great time
  11. field — for sport
  12. ground — the earth
  13. face — part of the head
  14. face — to confront
  15. charge — electricity
  16. fine — high quality
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. prune — to trim
  19. charge — a price
  20. prune — to trim
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. ground — crushed
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. fine — all right

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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