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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: lean · object · prune · clip · mouse · charge · arm · track

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. object — to protest
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. prune — to trim
  5. object — a thing
  6. track — a path
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. clip — a video
  9. lean — thin
  10. clip — for paper
  11. track — a song
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. clip — to cut
  14. charge — a price
  15. track — to keep track
  16. prune — to trim
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. object — an aim
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. charge — electricity
  24. lean — to bend

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