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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: prune · charge · current · rush · branch · wave · date · bear

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. charge — a price
  4. date — the fruit
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. current — of water
  9. branch — a division
  10. current — electric
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. prune — to trim
  14. prune — to trim
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. bear — the animal
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. current — happening now
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. rush — hurry
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. charge — in control
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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