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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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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: branch · bark · bound · charge · firm · prune · saw · kick

  1. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — of a tree
  2. charge — a price
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. charge — electricity
  5. firm — decided
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. bound — tied together
  8. charge — in control
  9. prune — to trim
  10. saw — the tool
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. prune — to trim
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. firm — steady
  17. bound — certain
  18. branch — a division
  19. kick — in football
  20. saw — the tool
  21. firm — a company
  22. bound — obliged
  23. bark — to shout
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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