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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: staff · ground · mark · prune · lie · straw · charge · rash

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. ground — crushed
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. mark — a grade
  6. rash — a series
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. mark — a trace
  9. ground — the earth
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. staff — employees
  12. prune — to trim
  13. staff — employees
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. rash — hasty
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. charge — in control
  19. prune — to trim
  20. charge — electricity
  21. charge — a price
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. ground — a position
  24. staff — a stick

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