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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: plane · calf · charge · content · prune · band · mouse · net

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. charge — in control
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. content — the amount
  7. charge — a price
  8. net — for catching
  9. plane — a tool
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. content — happy
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. band — a music group
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. charge — electricity
  17. band — a ring
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. net — after costs
  21. prune — to trim
  22. net — in sport
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. mouse — the animal

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