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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.

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 · suit · charge · land · pitch · cabinet · stem · wave

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. suit — in cards
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. charge — electricity
  5. pitch — completely
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. stem — to come from
  8. charge — a price
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. prune — to trim
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. charge — in control
  16. land — a country
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. land — to come down
  19. suit — to fit
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. land — ground
  22. prune — to trim
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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