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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. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. charge — electricity
  4. tube — a container
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. tube — the underground
  9. current — electric
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. stem — to come from
  12. current — happening now
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. fine — all right
  15. pitch — completely
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. fine — high quality
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. charge — a price
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. current — of water
  23. charge — in control
  24. nail — for a hammer

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