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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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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 train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. race — the arms race
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. charge — in control
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. ball — a great time
  7. stem — to come from
  8. charge — electricity
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. race — a contest
  12. tube — a container
  13. race — humankind
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. ball — a dance
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. charge — a price
  19. fork — in a road
  20. tube — the underground
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. fork — a garden tool

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