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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
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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 · last · rule · prune · mine · lash · coach · wound

  1. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. last — finally
  4. wound — an injury
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. rule — government
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. prune — to trim
  9. charge — in control
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. prune — to trim
  16. charge — a price
  17. charge — electricity
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. last — final
  20. mine — for digging
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. rule — a law
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. last — to go on

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