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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: stick · stem · field · charge · object · land · key · bulb

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. key — the most important part
  3. land — ground
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. charge — in control
  8. key — for a lock
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. charge — electricity
  11. object — an aim
  12. bulb — for light
  13. land — to come down
  14. charge — a price
  15. field — a subject
  16. land — a country
  17. field — farmland
  18. object — to protest
  19. stem — to come from
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. field — for sport
  22. object — a thing
  23. bulb — for light
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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