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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. charge — electricity
  3. spell — a short time
  4. charge — in control
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. craft — boats
  9. rock — music
  10. club — for dancing
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. spell — letters
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. stand — to bear
  15. stem — to come from
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. craft — a skill
  20. charge — a price
  21. club — for golf
  22. spell — magic
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. club — a group

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