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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
468
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: root · wake · leaves · fan · stem · prune · stick · charge

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. root — of a word
  4. prune — to trim
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. prune — to trim
  14. charge — in control
  15. charge — a price
  16. root — of a plant
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. stem — to come from
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. wake — a trail
  21. root — the cause
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. charge — electricity
  24. leaves — lets stay

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