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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: pitch · stem · bear · ruler · tear · bulb · prune · charge

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. pitch — completely
  3. stem — to come from
  4. charge — a price
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. prune — to trim
  8. charge — electricity
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. tear — from crying
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. bear — the animal
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. bear — the animal
  15. tear — to rip
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. bulb — for light
  19. prune — to trim
  20. bulb — for light
  21. tear — from crying
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. charge — in control
  24. stem — a stem cell

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