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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: charge · rock · land · deal · wave · present · bark · prune

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. present — the time now
  3. charge — a price
  4. present — a gift
  5. land — to come down
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. deal — to handle
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. rock — music
  12. land — ground
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. charge — in control
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. land — a country
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. charge — electricity
  20. bark — to shout
  21. prune — to trim
  22. prune — to trim
  23. rock — a stone
  24. deal — a big deal

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