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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.

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: rock · rush · hide · perch · bear · pit · charge · prune

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. rock — music
  3. pit — in a race
  4. charge — electricity
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. perch — the fish
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. rock — a stone
  11. charge — in control
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. prune — to trim
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. pit — a hole
  18. charge — a price
  19. bear — the animal
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. bear — the animal
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. rush — hurry

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