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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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. charge — in control
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. charge — electricity
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. wax — to grow
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. firm — decided
  11. band — a music group
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. pitch — completely
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. stem — to come from
  20. firm — a company
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. firm — steady
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. band — a ring

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