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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
468
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: prune · charge · capital · nail · lie · calf · bore · club

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. prune — to trim
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. charge — in control
  7. bore — to drill
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. charge — electricity
  10. charge — a price
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. club — a group
  14. prune — to trim
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. bore — to tire
  19. club — for dancing
  20. club — for golf
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. capital — a city
  24. capital — money

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