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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.

Make a worksheet

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
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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: arm · charge · wave · mine · bear · chair · bulb · stem

  1. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. charge — electricity
  3. bear — the animal
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. charge — a price
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. bear — the animal
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. bulb — for light
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. bulb — for light
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. mine — for digging
  21. charge — in control
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. chair — a leader
  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