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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 116 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: mark · scale · pit · charge · wave · wound · fall · prune

  1. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. prune — to trim
  3. prune — to trim
  4. fall — to drop
  5. charge — electricity
  6. wound — an injury
  7. mark — a trace
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. fall — the season
  12. scale — in music
  13. pit — in a race
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. charge — a price
  16. pit — a hole
  17. charge — in control
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. scale — size or range
  21. mark — a grade
  22. fall — to drop
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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