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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 · deal · bat · prune · bound · lean · calf · pitcher

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. bound — certain
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. prune — to trim
  5. charge — in control
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. bound — tied together
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. lean — thin
  15. bound — obliged
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. charge — electricity
  18. bat — the animal
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. lean — to bend
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. deal — to handle
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. prune — to trim

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