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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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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: plane · bulb · board · prune · rest · object · charge · cell

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. prune — to trim
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. rest — a break
  5. rest — what's left
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. board — to get on
  9. bulb — for light
  10. charge — a price
  11. object — to protest
  12. plane — a tool
  13. object — a thing
  14. charge — in control
  15. rest — what's left
  16. cell — a phone
  17. object — an aim
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. bulb — for light
  20. charge — electricity
  21. cell — in biology
  22. board — a committee
  23. prune — to trim
  24. prune — the fruit

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