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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 · trunk · degree · stand · saw · charge · prune · date

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  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. saw — past of 'see'
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. charge — in control
  4. degree — from a university
  5. saw — the tool
  6. charge — electricity
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. root — of a word
  13. prune — to trim
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. root — of a plant
  16. root — the cause
  17. degree — temperature
  18. charge — a price
  19. stand — to bear
  20. degree — an amount
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. saw — the tool
  23. date — the fruit
  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