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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: branch · charge · prune · present · net · tube · rush · row

  1. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. rush — hurry
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. charge — electricity
  5. row — to paddle
  6. present — the time now
  7. charge — in control
  8. present — there
  9. prune — to trim
  10. tube — the underground
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. present — a gift
  14. prune — to trim
  15. tube — a container
  16. charge — a price
  17. net — after costs
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. net — in sport
  20. row — a line
  21. branch — a division
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. net — for catching

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