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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 116 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
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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 · stick · root · prune · fan · bear · plane · club

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. charge — electricity
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. bear — the animal
  5. charge — a price
  6. club — a group
  7. club — for dancing
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. charge — in control
  10. bear — the animal
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. plane — a tool
  13. club — for golf
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. root — of a plant
  17. root — of a word
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. prune — to trim
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. root — the cause
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. prune — to trim
  24. fan — to cool the air

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