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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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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: roll · wake · prune · arm · fan · charge · fine · pass

  1. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. roll — a list
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. charge — electricity
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. charge — in control
  9. pass — a permit
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. prune — to trim
  13. fine — all right
  14. fine — high quality
  15. roll — a cake
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. wake — a trail
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. charge — a price
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. prune — to trim

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