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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.

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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 · season · bank · lie · prune · spring · saw · mark

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. prune — to trim
  3. spring — the season
  4. season — in sport
  5. mark — a grade
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. charge — in control
  8. bank — for money
  9. prune — to trim
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. spring — of water
  13. charge — a price
  14. spring — a coil
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. bank — of a river
  17. saw — the tool
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. season — of the year
  20. lie — to recline
  21. charge — electricity
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. mark — a trace
  24. bank — for money

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