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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 ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. perch — the fish
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. charge — in control
  6. key — in music
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. charge — electricity
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. tube — the underground
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. charge — a price
  13. key — for a lock
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. key — the most important part
  16. stem — to come from
  17. dip — to sink
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. tube — a container
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. calf — a young animal

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