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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: row · nail · pass · prune · can · charge · bark · bat

  1. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. charge — a price
  4. pass — a permit
  5. row — to paddle
  6. charge — in control
  7. row — a line
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. bat — the animal
  12. can — a tin
  13. can — a tin
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. charge — electricity
  16. can — to be able to
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. prune — to trim
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. prune — to trim
  23. bark — to shout
  24. bark — of a tree

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