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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 116 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: prune · row · plane · charge · rash · board · branch · coach

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. charge — in control
  4. row — a line
  5. rash — a series
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. charge — a price
  8. board — a committee
  9. prune — to trim
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. branch — a division
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. row — to paddle
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. board — to get on
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. prune — to trim
  23. rash — hasty
  24. charge — electricity

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