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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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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: saw · bound · stem · content · cue · charge

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. charge — electricity
  3. charge — a price
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. saw — the tool
  6. content — happy
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. stem — to come from
  9. bound — tied together
  10. cue — a hint
  11. cue — for pool
  12. content — the amount
  13. bound — certain
  14. cue — a signal
  15. charge — in control
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. saw — the tool
  18. stem — a stem cell

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