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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.

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: lash · pitch · charge · prune · object · bowl · mine · scale

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. object — a thing
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. mine — for digging
  5. prune — to trim
  6. charge — a price
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. scale — in music
  14. charge — in control
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. pitch — completely
  19. object — to protest
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. scale — size or range
  22. charge — electricity
  23. prune — to trim
  24. pitch — a sports field

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