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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: wound · charge · wave · bore · prune · trunk · scale · rock

  1. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. scale — size or range
  5. rock — a stone
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. bore — to drill
  8. wound — an injury
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. prune — to trim
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. wound — an injury
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. charge — in control
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. charge — a price
  19. scale — in music
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. rock — music
  22. prune — to trim
  23. bore — to tire
  24. charge — electricity

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