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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 · spell · club · bark · cabinet · prune · lean · leaves

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. prune — to trim
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. club — a group
  7. prune — to trim
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. charge — in control
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. lean — thin
  13. lean — to bend
  14. club — for golf
  15. spell — letters
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. charge — electricity
  19. charge — a price
  20. bark — to shout
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. spell — a short time
  23. club — for dancing
  24. cabinet — ministers

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