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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 120 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: bay · charge · cap · ball · prune · fan · squash · pitch

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. charge — in control
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. charge — electricity
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. prune — to trim
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. cap — a hat
  10. squash — to crush
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. prune — to trim
  14. cap — of ice
  15. cap — a lid
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. pitch — completely
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. ball — a dance
  21. ball — a great time
  22. squash — the sport
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  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