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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.

Make a worksheet

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: charge · pitcher · prune · rule · net · wave · toast · rock

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. charge — electricity
  3. prune — to trim
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. net — for catching
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. net — in sport
  14. rock — a stone
  15. prune — to trim
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. charge — a price
  18. rule — a law
  19. rule — government
  20. net — after costs
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. charge — in control
  23. rock — music
  24. toast — bread

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