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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 116 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: plane · charge · court · prune · board · rush · pit · swing

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. charge — a price
  3. prune — to trim
  4. charge — electricity
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. board — a committee
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. court — of a king
  11. plane — a tool
  12. board — to get on
  13. swing — music
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. rush — hurry
  16. pit — in a race
  17. swing — in golf
  18. court — of law
  19. charge — in control
  20. pit — a hole
  21. court — for sport
  22. swing — to play on
  23. prune — to trim
  24. board — a flat piece

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