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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: calf · court · straw · key · charge · stem · bulb · lean

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. bulb — for light
  4. key — the most important part
  5. charge — in control
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. bulb — for light
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. court — for sport
  10. court — of law
  11. key — in music
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. lean — to bend
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. charge — a price
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. lean — thin
  19. court — of a king
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. key — for a lock
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. charge — electricity
  24. bulb — of a plant

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