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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 120 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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. charge — in control
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. land — ground
  5. stem — to come from
  6. staff — employees
  7. land — to come down
  8. band — a music group
  9. pass — a permit
  10. charge — electricity
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. lie — to recline
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. sharp — clever
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. band — a ring
  22. land — a country
  23. staff — a stick
  24. staff — employees

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