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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.

Make a worksheet

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: patient · wave · root · prune · dip · charge · ball · object

  1. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. charge — electricity
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. prune — to trim
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. ball — a great time
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. charge — a price
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. root — of a plant
  14. ball — a dance
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. charge — in control
  17. dip — to sink
  18. root — the cause
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. object — a thing
  22. object — an aim
  23. root — of a word
  24. object — to protest

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