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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
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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: ball · coach · stem · bulb · land · charge · cue · can

  1. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — ground
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. bulb — for light
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. stem — to come from
  7. cue — a signal
  8. bulb — for light
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. land — a country
  13. cue — for pool
  14. can — to be able to
  15. can — a tin
  16. land — to come down
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. cue — a hint
  19. charge — in control
  20. ball — a dance
  21. ball — a great time
  22. can — a tin
  23. charge — electricity
  24. charge — a price

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