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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 116 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. charge — electricity
  6. charge — in control
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. stem — to come from
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. charge — a price
  18. stem — a stem cell

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