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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: stem · charge · bowl · game · clip · foot · prune · perch

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. clip — a video
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. clip — for paper
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. prune — to trim
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. prune — to trim
  10. clip — to cut
  11. charge — in control
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. stem — to come from
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. charge — a price
  16. charge — electricity
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. perch — the fish
  20. game — a match
  21. game — wild animals
  22. foot — a measure
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. bowl — a dish

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