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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: charge · roll · court · jam · mouse · prune · bulb · object

  1. The ball is in your ________________.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. roll — a list
  3. prune — to trim
  4. object — a thing
  5. object — an aim
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. roll — a cake
  11. charge — in control
  12. object — to protest
  13. bulb — for light
  14. charge — a price
  15. prune — to trim
  16. bulb — for light
  17. charge — electricity
  18. court — of law
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. court — of a king
  24. mouse — for a computer

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