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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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. charge — electricity
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. charge — a price
  7. charge — in control
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. rash — hasty
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. wound — an injury
  19. wound — an injury
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. rule — a law
  23. rule — government
  24. rash — a series

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