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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: present · charge · prune · game · net · pit · root · mate

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. root — of a plant
  5. net — for catching
  6. present — there
  7. prune — to trim
  8. mate — a partner
  9. present — the time now
  10. pit — in a race
  11. net — after costs
  12. game — a match
  13. charge — in control
  14. present — a gift
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. pit — a hole
  17. mate — to breed
  18. charge — electricity
  19. root — the cause
  20. prune — to trim
  21. mate — a friend
  22. root — of a word
  23. game — wild animals
  24. charge — a price

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