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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. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. stem — to come from
  4. charge — electricity
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. scale — in music
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. scale — size or range
  10. bear — the animal
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. bear — the animal
  18. chair — a leader
  19. sharp — clever
  20. charge — in control
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. deal — to handle
  24. deal — an agreement

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