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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: row · charge · bark · fan · prune · pound · court · stand

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. pound — a weight
  4. court — of law
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. bark — to shout
  7. charge — in control
  8. prune — to trim
  9. row — a line
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. court — of a king
  12. court — for sport
  13. prune — to trim
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. row — to paddle
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. charge — a price
  21. charge — electricity
  22. stand — to bear
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. pound — for dogs

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