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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: ground · fan · racket · file · prune · suit · charge · content

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. file — a document
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. ground — crushed
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. file — a line of people
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. prune — to trim
  10. charge — in control
  11. content — the amount
  12. file — a tool
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. ground — the earth
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. suit — clothes
  17. content — happy
  18. prune — to trim
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. charge — a price
  21. ground — a position
  22. suit — in cards
  23. fan — to cool the air
  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