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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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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 · lean · game · racket · cap · stem · suit · deal

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  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. cap — of ice
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. lean — thin
  4. charge — in control
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. suit — to fit
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. game — a match
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. suit — in cards
  11. cap — a hat
  12. suit — clothes
  13. stem — to come from
  14. charge — a price
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. lean — to bend
  17. deal — to handle
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. cap — a lid
  21. game — wild animals
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. charge — electricity
  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