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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: bear · bound · stem · ground · bulb · charge · press · key

  1. There's no middle ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. press — to push
  3. stem — to come from
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. charge — in control
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bound — tied together
  8. key — for a lock
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. ground — crushed
  11. bulb — for light
  12. press — a publisher
  13. key — in music
  14. key — the most important part
  15. bear — the animal
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. charge — a price
  18. charge — electricity
  19. ground — the earth
  20. press — newspapers
  21. bound — obliged
  22. bulb — for light
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. bound — certain

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