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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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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: stem · wake · suit · bay · deal · temple · straw · charge

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. stem — to come from
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. suit — clothes
  8. charge — a price
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. charge — in control
  15. wake — a trail
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. deal — to handle
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. suit — in cards
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. suit — to fit
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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