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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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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: kick · chest · stem · charge · wound · row · present · ruler

  1. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. chest — a box
  4. stem — to come from
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. present — a gift
  7. row — a line
  8. charge — electricity
  9. row — to paddle
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. wound — an injury
  13. kick — in football
  14. present — the time now
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. charge — a price
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. chest — of your body
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. present — there
  22. charge — in control
  23. wound — an injury
  24. kick — with a leg

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