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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: pop · prune · shower · cabinet · charge · mouse · pound · stand

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. charge — a price
  3. pop — music
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. shower — rain
  6. pop — soda
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. pop — to visit
  9. stand — to bear
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. charge — in control
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. shower — to wash
  19. charge — electricity
  20. prune — to trim
  21. pound — a weight
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. stand — for spectators

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