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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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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: kick · root · lean · prune · stick · tear · charge · mark

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  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. kick — with a leg
  2. tear — to rip
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. mark — a trace
  5. prune — to trim
  6. tear — from crying
  7. root — the cause
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. charge — a price
  10. charge — electricity
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. charge — in control
  14. root — of a word
  15. lean — to bend
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. root — of a plant
  19. lean — thin
  20. mark — a grade
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. tear — from crying
  23. kick — in football
  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