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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: leaves · mark · content · prune · wave · charge · pound · saw

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. content — happy
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. prune — to trim
  10. mark — a grade
  11. charge — in control
  12. charge — electricity
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. saw — the tool
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. prune — to trim
  17. content — the amount
  18. pound — a weight
  19. charge — a price
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. mark — a trace
  24. saw — the tool

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