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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 116 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: row · file · stem · cap · stock · charge · mine · straw

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. file — a document
  3. cap — a hat
  4. row — to paddle
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. charge — in control
  7. file — a line of people
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. mine — for digging
  10. charge — electricity
  11. file — a tool
  12. stock — goods
  13. charge — a price
  14. row — a line
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. cap — a lid
  22. cap — of ice
  23. stock — shares
  24. row — a quarrel

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