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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: row · rush · charge · face · pit · bat · cue · prune

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. row — to paddle
  3. cue — a signal
  4. prune — to trim
  5. face — part of the head
  6. row — a line
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. cue — a hint
  9. face — to point toward
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. charge — electricity
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. face — to confront
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. prune — to trim
  17. pit — a hole
  18. pit — in a race
  19. cue — for pool
  20. bat — the animal
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. charge — a price
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. rush — hurry

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