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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. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. charge — in control
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. content — happy
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. content — the amount
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. stem — to come from
  15. charge — a price
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. pitch — completely
  18. rush — hurry
  19. charge — electricity
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. leaves — to go away

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