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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: net · stem · present · charge · race · press

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. charge — in control
  3. net — for catching
  4. press — newspapers
  5. stem — to come from
  6. present — the time now
  7. net — in sport
  8. press — to push
  9. race — humankind
  10. charge — a price
  11. press — a publisher
  12. present — there
  13. race — a contest
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. present — a gift
  16. net — after costs
  17. charge — electricity
  18. race — the arms race

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