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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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. rule — a law
  3. rule — government
  4. charge — in control
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. file — a tool
  9. pit — a hole
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. charge — a price
  17. wax — to grow
  18. file — a document
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. pit — in a race
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. file — a line of people
  23. charge — electricity
  24. pound — a weight

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