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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 · root · suit · prune · charge · bat · cue · roll

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. bat — the animal
  3. cue — for pool
  4. suit — to fit
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. cue — a hint
  8. roll — a cake
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. suit — clothes
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. charge — a price
  14. root — of a word
  15. cue — a signal
  16. prune — to trim
  17. root — of a plant
  18. roll — a list
  19. prune — to trim
  20. charge — electricity
  21. suit — in cards
  22. branch — a division
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. root — the cause

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