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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 · hide · ball · wake · scale · lean · bowl · prune

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. wake — a trail
  3. ball — a dance
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. lean — thin
  6. charge — electricity
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. lean — to bend
  11. ball — a great time
  12. prune — to trim
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. prune — to trim
  15. scale — in music
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. charge — in control
  22. scale — size or range
  23. hide — to keep secret
  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