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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: rash · face · drill · bay · present · prune · charge · bear

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. prune — to trim
  4. bear — the animal
  5. drill — army training
  6. drill — the tool
  7. charge — in control
  8. face — to point toward
  9. face — to confront
  10. face — part of the head
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. charge — a price
  14. rash — hasty
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. prune — to trim
  17. present — a gift
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. present — there
  20. charge — electricity
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. rash — a series
  23. drill — a practice
  24. present — the time now

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