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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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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: perch · pit · stem · charge · rock · spring · arm · bat

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. spring — of water
  3. perch — the fish
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. rock — a stone
  9. charge — in control
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. charge — a price
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. spring — a coil
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. stem — to come from
  16. pit — a hole
  17. pit — in a race
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. bat — the animal
  22. rock — music
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. charge — electricity

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