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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: file · face · charge · leaves · craft · content · fine · stem

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. fine — all right
  4. face — to point toward
  5. face — part of the head
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. charge — in control
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. charge — electricity
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. stem — to come from
  12. file — a tool
  13. craft — a skill
  14. content — happy
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. craft — boats
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. file — a document
  21. file — a line of people
  22. content — the amount
  23. fine — high quality
  24. face — to confront

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