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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
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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: lash · leaves · track · charge · lean · cold · stem · cap

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. The water is too ________________.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. lean — thin
  5. cap — a lid
  6. cold — not warm
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. cap — of ice
  9. stem — to come from
  10. lean — to bend
  11. cap — a hat
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. charge — in control
  17. charge — electricity
  18. cold — an illness
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. cold — the Cold War
  22. track — to keep track
  23. track — a song
  24. charge — a price

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