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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. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. bulb — for light
  3. charge — electricity
  4. squash — to crush
  5. cap — a hat
  6. bulb — for light
  7. squash — the sport
  8. cap — a lid
  9. plane — a tool
  10. lean — to bend
  11. cap — of ice
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. lean — thin
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. present — there
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. present — the time now
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. charge — in control
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. stem — to come from
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. present — a gift
  24. charge — a price

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