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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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. charge — a price
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. charge — electricity
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. tube — a container
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. stem — to come from
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. mate — to breed
  12. prune — to trim
  13. prune — to trim
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. bulb — for light
  18. mate — a partner
  19. mate — a friend
  20. tube — the underground
  21. bulb — for light
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. charge — in control
  24. fan — a supporter

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