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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: deal · nail · rock · prune · charge · kid · bulb · can

  1. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. rock — a stone
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. charge — a price
  6. bulb — for light
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. charge — electricity
  9. deal — to handle
  10. prune — to trim
  11. can — a tin
  12. rock — music
  13. can — to be able to
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. kid — to tease
  16. can — a tin
  17. prune — to trim
  18. charge — in control
  19. kid — child
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. bulb — for light
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. nail — for a hammer

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