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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. bear — the animal
  3. rush — hurry
  4. content — the amount
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. craft — a skill
  7. chest — a box
  8. key — in music
  9. key — for a lock
  10. stem — to come from
  11. bear — the animal
  12. chest — of your body
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. craft — boats
  15. key — the most important part
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. chest — of your body
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. charge — a price
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. charge — in control
  24. content — happy

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