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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.

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: leaves · charge · spell · chip · ball · cue · fan · prune

  1. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. cue — for pool
  3. cue — a hint
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. chip — for betting
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. ball — a great time
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. ball — a dance
  10. charge — a price
  11. spell — a short time
  12. prune — to trim
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. charge — in control
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. cue — a signal
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. spell — letters
  21. spell — magic
  22. charge — electricity
  23. chip — to eat
  24. prune — the fruit

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