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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.

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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: prune · charge · club · mouse · rule · track · trunk · temple

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. charge — in control
  7. track — to keep track
  8. charge — electricity
  9. rule — government
  10. club — a group
  11. track — a song
  12. rule — a law
  13. club — for golf
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. track — a path
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. club — for dancing
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. prune — to trim
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. charge — a price

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