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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: charge · temple · present · fork · leaves · hide · nail · prune

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  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. present — there
  2. charge — in control
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. prune — to trim
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. charge — electricity
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. present — a gift
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. present — the time now
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. charge — a price
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. fork — in a road
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. hide — to keep secret
  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