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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: key · file · band · charge · cell · safe · stem · bulb

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. charge — a price
  3. stem — to come from
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. file — a line of people
  6. charge — electricity
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. cell — a phone
  12. band — a music group
  13. bulb — for light
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. key — for a lock
  16. key — in music
  17. band — a ring
  18. file — a tool
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. charge — in control
  21. key — the most important part
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. cell — in biology
  24. file — a document

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