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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 116 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: fan · prune · charge · fine · wave · hand · trunk · present

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. prune — to trim
  4. charge — in control
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. present — the time now
  9. hand — in cards
  10. present — there
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. fine — all right
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. charge — electricity
  17. present — a gift
  18. fine — high quality
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. charge — a price
  21. hand — help
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. fan — a supporter

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