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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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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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. season — of the year
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. scale — in music
  5. charge — in control
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. staff — a stick
  8. lean — thin
  9. stem — to come from
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. charge — a price
  13. lean — to bend
  14. season — in sport
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. charge — electricity
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. staff — employees
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. scale — size or range
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. staff — employees
  24. trunk — of a car

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