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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: charge · prune · pass · bank · object · tube · current · stem

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. charge — a price
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. bank — for money
  6. charge — in control
  7. bank — for money
  8. prune — to trim
  9. object — to protest
  10. charge — electricity
  11. prune — to trim
  12. bank — of a river
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. tube — a container
  15. current — of water
  16. pass — a permit
  17. object — an aim
  18. stem — to come from
  19. tube — the underground
  20. object — a thing
  21. current — electric
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. current — happening now
  24. prune — the fruit

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