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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 · bound · cell · pit · charge · wax · bulb

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. cell — in biology
  4. charge — a price
  5. bulb — for light
  6. rock — a stone
  7. bound — obliged
  8. cell — a phone
  9. pit — a hole
  10. bulb — for light
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. stem — to come from
  14. charge — electricity
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. rock — music
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. pit — in a race
  20. wax — to grow
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. bound — certain
  23. bound — tied together
  24. stem — of a plant

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