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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
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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: roll · prune · lash · land · spring · object · kick · charge

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. prune — to trim
  4. land — to come down
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. charge — a price
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. object — an aim
  9. prune — to trim
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. object — to protest
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. spring — the season
  14. charge — electricity
  15. land — ground
  16. charge — in control
  17. roll — a list
  18. spring — a coil
  19. spring — of water
  20. roll — a cake
  21. kick — in football
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. land — a country

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