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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.

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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 · prune · fine · mouse · kid · track · chest · bear

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. charge — a price
  4. track — a path
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. chest — of your body
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. track — to keep track
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. bear — the animal
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. kid — to tease
  14. kid — child
  15. charge — electricity
  16. fine — high quality
  17. chest — a box
  18. prune — to trim
  19. chest — of your body
  20. track — a song
  21. fine — all right
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. prune — to trim
  24. charge — in control

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