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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: charge · foot · stem · bark · object · saw · wind · club

  1. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. charge — electricity
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. object — a thing
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. foot — a measure
  10. club — a group
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. stem — to come from
  13. wind — moving air
  14. object — to protest
  15. club — for dancing
  16. saw — the tool
  17. bark — to shout
  18. charge — in control
  19. saw — the tool
  20. object — an aim
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. club — for golf
  23. charge — a price
  24. saw — past of 'see'

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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