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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: track · prune · season · chair · perch · craft · charge · leaves

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. prune — to trim
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. perch — the fish
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. charge — a price
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. track — a song
  10. track — to keep track
  11. charge — in control
  12. charge — electricity
  13. craft — a skill
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. season — of the year
  17. craft — boats
  18. track — a path
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. prune — to trim
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. chair — a leader
  24. perch — for a bird

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