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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 116 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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. charge — electricity
  3. cell — in biology
  4. stem — to come from
  5. bass — the fish
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. club — for golf
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. staff — employees
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. cell — a phone
  13. club — for dancing
  14. row — a line
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. charge — a price
  18. staff — employees
  19. club — a group
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. bass — low music
  22. staff — a stick
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. row — to paddle

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