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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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. bass — the fish
  4. bass — low music
  5. tube — a container
  6. land — a country
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. stem — to come from
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. land — ground
  11. land — to come down
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. charge — electricity
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. rule — government
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. charge — in control
  19. rule — a law
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. charge — a price
  22. tube — the underground
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. nail — for a hammer

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