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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: charge · bay · prune · root · bear · roll · dip · temple

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. bear — the animal
  3. root — of a plant
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. charge — in control
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. prune — to trim
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. dip — to sink
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. root — the cause
  13. charge — electricity
  14. prune — to trim
  15. roll — a cake
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. root — of a word
  21. bear — the animal
  22. roll — a list
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. prune — the fruit

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