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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: fine · stick · bark · prune · wave · land · charge · root

  1. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. prune — to trim
  6. fine — high quality
  7. charge — a price
  8. root — of a plant
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. charge — electricity
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. land — ground
  14. bark — to shout
  15. fine — all right
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. land — a country
  18. root — of a word
  19. land — to come down
  20. charge — in control
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. root — the cause
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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