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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 120 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 · perch · bore · rock · wave · charge · bank · present

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. bore — to tire
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. present — a gift
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. perch — the fish
  7. prune — to trim
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. bank — of a river
  12. present — the time now
  13. bore — to drill
  14. charge — in control
  15. prune — to trim
  16. bank — for money
  17. charge — a price
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. rock — music
  20. charge — electricity
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. present — there
  23. rock — a stone
  24. bank — for money

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