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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 116 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: cap · dip · pitcher · firm · kick · charge · prune · rule

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. kick — in football
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. prune — to trim
  6. firm — steady
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. cap — of ice
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. dip — to sink
  12. rule — government
  13. prune — to trim
  14. charge — in control
  15. firm — decided
  16. cap — a lid
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. rule — a law
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. firm — a company
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. charge — electricity
  24. cap — a hat

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