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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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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: lean · ruler · charge · deal · club · prune · calf · row

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. club — for dancing
  4. club — a group
  5. prune — to trim
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. club — for golf
  11. lean — to bend
  12. deal — to handle
  13. charge — electricity
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. charge — a price
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. prune — to trim
  19. row — to paddle
  20. lean — thin
  21. row — a line
  22. charge — in control
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. ruler — a monarch

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