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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: dip · charge · hide · rush · firm · bark · coach · prune

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. firm — a company
  3. prune — to trim
  4. charge — a price
  5. bark — a dog's sound
  6. prune — to trim
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. bark — to shout
  9. charge — in control
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. rush — hurry
  13. charge — electricity
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. dip — to sink
  20. firm — decided
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. coach — a trainer

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