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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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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 · shower · charge · branch · prune · cue · object · lie

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. shower — to wash
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. shower — rain
  5. cue — for pool
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. charge — electricity
  9. object — to protest
  10. cue — a hint
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. rock — music
  14. charge — a price
  15. branch — a division
  16. object — an aim
  17. object — a thing
  18. prune — to trim
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. cue — a signal
  21. lie — to recline
  22. rock — a stone
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. prune — to trim

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