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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.

Make a worksheet

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: bear · lash · bowl · prune · fine · patient · ball · charge

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. ball — a great time
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. prune — to trim
  8. charge — in control
  9. charge — electricity
  10. prune — to trim
  11. bear — the animal
  12. fine — high quality
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. fine — all right
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. ball — a dance
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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