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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 116 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: spring · board · calf · wound · rule · charge · stem · bulb

  1. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. rule — government
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. bulb — for light
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. charge — in control
  9. wound — an injury
  10. charge — electricity
  11. board — to get on
  12. board — a committee
  13. spring — of water
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. charge — a price
  17. rule — a law
  18. wound — an injury
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. bulb — for light
  21. spring — the season
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. stem — to come from

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