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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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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: charge · mate · rest · craft · fall · object · prune · suit

  1. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. object — a thing
  3. suit — in cards
  4. suit — to fit
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. craft — boats
  7. object — to protest
  8. charge — in control
  9. object — an aim
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. charge — electricity
  12. prune — to trim
  13. fall — to drop
  14. rest — a break
  15. charge — a price
  16. suit — clothes
  17. mate — a friend
  18. mate — to breed
  19. rest — what's left
  20. fall — the season
  21. rest — what's left
  22. prune — to trim
  23. mate — a partner
  24. craft — a skill

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