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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.

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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: prune · rush · march · fan · cue · trunk · can · charge

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. cue — a signal
  3. can — a tin
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. prune — to trim
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. can — a tin
  8. cue — for pool
  9. march — music
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. march — the month
  12. rush — hurry
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. can — to be able to
  16. march — the month
  17. charge — a price
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. prune — to trim
  20. charge — electricity
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. charge — in control
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. cue — a hint

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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