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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. suit — to fit
  4. charge — electricity
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. shower — rain
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. content — happy
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. swing — to play on
  11. charge — a price
  12. cap — a lid
  13. content — the amount
  14. suit — clothes
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. stem — to come from
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. swing — in golf
  20. cap — of ice
  21. shower — to wash
  22. cap — a hat
  23. suit — in cards
  24. swing — 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