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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: rule · bay · stem · ground · march · charge · tube · mate

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. march — the month
  4. stem — to come from
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. charge — electricity
  7. rule — government
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. tube — the underground
  10. ground — a position
  11. march — the month
  12. mate — to breed
  13. rule — a law
  14. mate — a friend
  15. charge — in control
  16. march — music
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. ground — crushed
  19. charge — a price
  20. mate — a partner
  21. ground — the earth
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. tube — a container

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