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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 tickets are free of ________________.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. rush — hurry
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. charge — electricity
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. scale — size or range
  14. charge — in control
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. land — ground
  17. date — the fruit
  18. scale — in music
  19. stem — to come from
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. land — to come down
  22. land — a country
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. stand — to bear

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