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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: chair · mark · prune · foot · rock · mate · bay · charge

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. foot — a measure
  3. mate — a partner
  4. prune — to trim
  5. charge — in control
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. chair — a leader
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. prune — to trim
  11. rock — music
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. charge — a price
  14. mate — a friend
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. charge — electricity
  18. mark — a trace
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. mate — to breed
  22. rock — a stone
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. rock — to move gently

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