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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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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: rock · board · cap · charge · fork · stem · mouse · deal

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. charge — electricity
  5. board — to get on
  6. rock — a stone
  7. cap — of ice
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. fork — in a road
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. cap — a hat
  12. rock — music
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. charge — a price
  15. charge — in control
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. cap — a lid
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. board — a committee
  24. deal — to handle

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