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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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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 · charge · net · kick · stick · pound · present · dip

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. present — there
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. dip — to sink
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. charge — a price
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. prune — to trim
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. charge — in control
  11. prune — to trim
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. kick — in football
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. present — a gift
  18. charge — electricity
  19. present — the time now
  20. net — after costs
  21. net — in sport
  22. pound — a weight
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. net — for catching

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