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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: rush · press · stem · bear · charge · lean · net · cell

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. net — in sport
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. net — after costs
  5. lean — to bend
  6. charge — in control
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. bear — the animal
  9. stem — to come from
  10. charge — electricity
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. charge — a price
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. press — to push
  15. cell — a phone
  16. press — newspapers
  17. rush — hurry
  18. cell — in biology
  19. lean — thin
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. press — a publisher
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. net — for catching

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