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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: mate · bear · snap · charge · cabinet · wound · prune · mine

  1. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. bear — the animal
  5. wound — an injury
  6. wound — an injury
  7. charge — in control
  8. snap — to click
  9. mate — a friend
  10. mine — for digging
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. bear — the animal
  13. charge — electricity
  14. mate — to breed
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. mate — a partner
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. charge — a price
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. prune — to trim
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. prune — to trim

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