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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: season · prune · present · roll · mate · arm · charge · plane

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. prune — to trim
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. charge — in control
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. charge — electricity
  9. present — the time now
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. prune — to trim
  12. roll — a cake
  13. present — a gift
  14. mate — a friend
  15. mate — to breed
  16. plane — a tool
  17. present — there
  18. charge — a price
  19. mate — a partner
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. season — of the year
  23. roll — a list
  24. arm — a part of something

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