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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
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: arm · leaves · charge · stem · mug · ball · mate · mine

  1. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. ball — a dance
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. mug — to rob
  6. charge — electricity
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. charge — in control
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. mate — to breed
  13. mate — a partner
  14. mug — a face
  15. charge — a price
  16. mate — a friend
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. stem — to come from
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. mine — for digging
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. mug — a cup
  24. stem — a stem cell

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