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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · rush · bay · plane · row · court · charge · bound

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. prune — to trim
  3. prune — to trim
  4. court — for sport
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. court — of a king
  7. court — of law
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. rush — hurry
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. charge — a price
  13. row — to paddle
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. bound — certain
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. charge — in control
  20. bound — obliged
  21. row — a line
  22. bound — tied together
  23. plane — a tool
  24. charge — electricity

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