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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. suit — in cards
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. file — a document
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. charge — in control
  8. court — for sport
  9. file — a line of people
  10. court — of law
  11. fine — high quality
  12. present — the time now
  13. suit — clothes
  14. lean — thin
  15. fine — all right
  16. suit — to fit
  17. stem — to come from
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. court — of a king
  20. present — there
  21. present — a gift
  22. charge — a price
  23. charge — electricity
  24. file — a tool

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