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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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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: capital · stem · roll · tube · saw · firm · charge · bulb

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. firm — decided
  5. charge — in control
  6. roll — a cake
  7. tube — a container
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bulb — for light
  10. tube — the underground
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. roll — a list
  13. capital — money
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. charge — electricity
  17. capital — a city
  18. saw — the tool
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. charge — a price
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. saw — the tool
  23. firm — a company
  24. stem — to come from

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