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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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. fine — all right
  3. cap — a hat
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. charge — electricity
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. cap — a lid
  8. charge — in control
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. charge — a price
  12. key — the most important part
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. key — in music
  15. cap — of ice
  16. chip — to eat
  17. key — for a lock
  18. suit — to fit
  19. suit — clothes
  20. chip — for betting
  21. suit — in cards
  22. fine — high quality
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. chip — in a computer

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