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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. The water is too ________________.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. bank — for money
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. ball — a dance
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. bank — of a river
  9. club — a group
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. stem — to come from
  12. charge — a price
  13. club — for dancing
  14. fine — all right
  15. club — for golf
  16. charge — in control
  17. cold — not warm
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. cold — the Cold War
  21. bank — for money
  22. ball — a great time
  23. fine — high quality
  24. cold — an illness

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