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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: hide · prune · fall · bowl · charge · stand · root · swing

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. swing — to play on
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. charge — electricity
  7. swing — in golf
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. swing — music
  10. root — of a word
  11. root — of a plant
  12. fall — to drop
  13. fall — the season
  14. stand — to bear
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. prune — to trim
  19. charge — a price
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. fall — to drop
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. prune — to trim
  24. charge — in control

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