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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: root · wake · fall · coach · prune · charge · chip · safe

  1. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. root — of a word
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. fall — the season
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. wake — a trail
  9. root — of a plant
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. chip — for betting
  13. fall — to drop
  14. prune — to trim
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. charge — a price
  17. root — the cause
  18. chip — to eat
  19. charge — electricity
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. charge — in control
  22. fall — to drop
  23. prune — to trim
  24. chip — in a computer

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