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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: firm · wax · squash · charge · prune · rule · rush · game

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. firm — decided
  3. charge — in control
  4. game — wild animals
  5. charge — a price
  6. firm — a company
  7. game — a match
  8. firm — steady
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. rule — government
  12. prune — to trim
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. rush — hurry
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. squash — to crush
  21. prune — to trim
  22. squash — the sport
  23. wax — to grow
  24. charge — electricity

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