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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
468
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: cell · bulb · rock · temple · tube · charge · scale · stem

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. charge — electricity
  4. charge — a price
  5. rock — a stone
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. tube — the underground
  9. bulb — for light
  10. scale — in music
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. tube — a container
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. scale — size or range
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. rock — music
  21. bulb — for light
  22. cell — in biology
  23. stem — to come from
  24. cell — a phone

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