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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: prune · charge · can · sharp · pass · racket · pop · last

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. charge — electricity
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. charge — in control
  6. prune — to trim
  7. pop — soda
  8. last — final
  9. prune — to trim
  10. can — a tin
  11. can — a tin
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. pop — music
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. last — to go on
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. can — to be able to
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. charge — a price
  21. pop — to visit
  22. pass — a permit
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. last — finally

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