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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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. charge — in control
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. plane — a tool
  5. charge — electricity
  6. stem — to come from
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. kid — to tease
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. rest — a break
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. bass — the fish
  17. bass — low music
  18. rest — what's left
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. charge — a price
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. kid — child

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