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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. charge — electricity
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. root — of a plant
  5. charge — a price
  6. club — for golf
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. charge — in control
  10. bound — tied together
  11. prune — to trim
  12. stand — to bear
  13. root — the cause
  14. root — of a word
  15. bound — obliged
  16. prune — to trim
  17. club — for dancing
  18. fork — in a road
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. bound — certain
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. club — a group

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