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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. sharp — clever
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. charge — a price
  7. stem — to come from
  8. face — to confront
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. face — part of the head
  11. ground — crushed
  12. bulb — for light
  13. charge — in control
  14. bank — for money
  15. bank — for money
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. bulb — for light
  19. face — to point toward
  20. ground — the earth
  21. ground — a position
  22. bank — of a river
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. safe — a strongbox

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