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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. saw — the tool
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. pit — a hole
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. rock — music
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. land — ground
  9. charge — electricity
  10. charge — a price
  11. charge — in control
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. stem — to come from
  14. rock — a stone
  15. bulb — for light
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. land — a country
  18. land — to come down
  19. pit — in a race
  20. bulb — for light
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. saw — the tool

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