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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. cap — a lid
  3. bear — the animal
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. stem — to come from
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. lean — thin
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. cap — a hat
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. charge — a price
  15. charge — electricity
  16. lean — to bend
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. bear — the animal
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. chair — a leader
  23. cap — of ice
  24. rush — hurry

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