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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. rest — what's left
  4. charge — a price
  5. charge — in control
  6. rest — a break
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. pound — a weight
  9. can — a tin
  10. can — a tin
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. can — to be able to
  13. present — the time now
  14. rest — what's left
  15. rock — music
  16. rock — a stone
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. stem — to come from
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. wind — moving air
  21. charge — electricity
  22. present — a gift
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. wind — moving air

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