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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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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: prune · fall · jam · charge · mark · deal · mouse · firm

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. fall — to drop
  3. firm — a company
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. fall — the season
  6. firm — steady
  7. mark — a trace
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. fall — to drop
  10. charge — in control
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. mark — a grade
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. firm — decided
  18. charge — electricity
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. deal — to handle
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. prune — to trim
  24. charge — a price

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