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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 116 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: stand · charge · season · calf · saw · stem · current · bass

  1. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — low music
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. bass — the fish
  4. current — happening now
  5. season — of the year
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. saw — the tool
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. charge — a price
  10. saw — the tool
  11. charge — electricity
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. season — in sport
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. charge — in control
  18. current — electric
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. stem — to come from
  21. current — of water
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. stand — to bear

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