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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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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: tube · prune · bulb · land · charge · object · pit · can

  1. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. can — a tin
  3. can — a tin
  4. pit — a hole
  5. tube — a container
  6. object — to protest
  7. prune — to trim
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. pit — in a race
  10. land — a country
  11. charge — in control
  12. prune — to trim
  13. land — to come down
  14. can — to be able to
  15. charge — electricity
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. tube — the underground
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bulb — for light
  20. object — an aim
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. object — a thing
  23. charge — a price
  24. bulb — of a plant

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