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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 120 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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. mine — for digging
  4. charge — electricity
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. face — part of the head
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. face — to point toward
  9. stem — to come from
  10. bulb — for light
  11. charge — a price
  12. bank — of a river
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. bulb — for light
  19. face — to confront
  20. bank — for money
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. fork — in a road
  23. bank — for money
  24. fork — a garden tool

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