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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: ground · charge · temple · staff · patient · cabinet · roll · stem

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. charge — electricity
  3. staff — employees
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. ground — the earth
  7. ground — a position
  8. ground — crushed
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. roll — a cake
  11. roll — a list
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. staff — a stick
  16. stem — to come from
  17. staff — employees
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. charge — in control
  22. charge — a price
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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