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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. stem — to come from
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. chip — for betting
  5. pop — music
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. pop — to visit
  8. rock — a stone
  9. charge — in control
  10. mug — a face
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. chest — a box
  13. rock — music
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. chest — of your body
  16. chip — to eat
  17. charge — a price
  18. mug — to rob
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. mug — a cup
  21. rush — hurry
  22. chest — of your body
  23. pop — soda
  24. rush — to hurry

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