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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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: squash · prune · straw · pitch · spell · charge · mark · bank

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. squash — to crush
  4. charge — electricity
  5. spell — magic
  6. bank — of a river
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. bank — for money
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. spell — letters
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. spell — a short time
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. charge — in control
  16. squash — the sport
  17. pitch — completely
  18. prune — to trim
  19. bank — for money
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. mark — a trace
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. mark — a grade
  24. prune — to trim

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