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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: deal · leaves · trunk · lean · press · plane · charge · prune

  1. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. prune — to trim
  3. charge — a price
  4. deal — to handle
  5. plane — a tool
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. charge — electricity
  8. prune — to trim
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. press — a publisher
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. charge — in control
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. lean — to bend
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. press — newspapers
  21. lean — thin
  22. press — to push
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. leaves — of a tree

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