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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: charge · stem · club · cap · game · firm · fan · suit

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. cap — a hat
  4. club — for dancing
  5. game — a match
  6. club — a group
  7. club — for golf
  8. firm — a company
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. firm — decided
  11. game — wild animals
  12. charge — electricity
  13. charge — a price
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. charge — in control
  16. suit — in cards
  17. firm — steady
  18. suit — to fit
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. suit — clothes
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. cap — a lid
  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