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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. charge — electricity
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. race — a contest
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. charge — in control
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. stem — to come from
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. kick — in football
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. race — humankind
  20. mine — for digging
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. race — the arms race
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. mine — belonging to me

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