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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 120 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: mouse · current · pitcher · land · calf · stem · cell · charge

  1. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. current — of water
  4. stem — to come from
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. charge — electricity
  8. land — ground
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. current — happening now
  12. charge — in control
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. land — to come down
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. cell — in biology
  20. cell — a phone
  21. charge — a price
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. current — electric
  24. pitcher — a jug

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