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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: toast · bass · current · mine · prune · stand · spell · charge

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. prune — to trim
  4. charge — a price
  5. charge — in control
  6. prune — to trim
  7. spell — magic
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. toast — bread
  11. charge — electricity
  12. current — electric
  13. current — of water
  14. bass — low music
  15. spell — letters
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. stand — to bear
  18. spell — a short time
  19. bass — the fish
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. current — happening now
  23. mine — for digging
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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