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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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. tear — from crying
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. charge — electricity
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. charge — in control
  7. pound — a weight
  8. press — newspapers
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. bulb — for light
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. press — to push
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. bulb — for light
  15. perch — the fish
  16. cap — of ice
  17. tear — from crying
  18. press — a publisher
  19. stem — to come from
  20. tear — to rip
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. cap — a hat
  23. cap — a lid
  24. perch — for a bird

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