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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 120 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: charge · prune · rule · swing · row · mate · deal · cap

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. row — to paddle
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. mate — a partner
  5. charge — in control
  6. cap — of ice
  7. cap — a hat
  8. rule — a law
  9. rule — government
  10. row — a line
  11. mate — to breed
  12. swing — music
  13. swing — to play on
  14. deal — to handle
  15. charge — electricity
  16. cap — a lid
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. prune — to trim
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. prune — to trim
  23. charge — a price
  24. mate — a friend

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