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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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. cap — of ice
  3. cap — a lid
  4. saw — the tool
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. charge — electricity
  7. charge — in control
  8. key — for a lock
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. key — the most important part
  12. cap — a hat
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. perch — the fish
  19. saw — the tool
  20. charge — a price
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. stand — to bear
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. key — in music

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