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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: charge · stem · fan · shower · ball · stick · suit · key

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. ball — a dance
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. stem — to come from
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. suit — to fit
  10. shower — rain
  11. charge — in control
  12. suit — clothes
  13. key — in music
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. key — the most important part
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. key — for a lock
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. charge — electricity
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. ball — a great time
  22. shower — to wash
  23. charge — a price
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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