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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
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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: prune · bay · pound · object · swing · rush · charge · hand

  1. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. pound — a weight
  4. charge — a price
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. prune — to trim
  7. object — an aim
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. swing — music
  10. object — a thing
  11. swing — in golf
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. hand — help
  14. charge — in control
  15. hand — in cards
  16. rush — hurry
  17. charge — electricity
  18. swing — to play on
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. object — to protest
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. pound — for dogs

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