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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. bass — the fish
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. bat — the animal
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. charge — electricity
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. tube — a container
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. stand — to bear
  15. pass — a permit
  16. stem — to come from
  17. charge — a price
  18. tube — the underground
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. bass — low music
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. stand — on your feet

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