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

Word bank: kid · object · charge · cell · stem · suit

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. stem — to come from
  3. suit — to fit
  4. object — a thing
  5. kid — to tease
  6. charge — electricity
  7. cell — in biology
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. kid — child
  10. suit — clothes
  11. cell — a phone
  12. charge — a price
  13. object — an aim
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. object — to protest
  16. charge — in control
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. suit — in cards

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