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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: stem · rock · charge · craft · toast · rule

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. charge — a price
  4. craft — a skill
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. rock — music
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. rock — a stone
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. rule — a law
  12. rule — government
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. craft — boats
  15. charge — in control
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. stem — to come from
  18. toast — bread

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