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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: rock · chair · stem · charge · trunk · club · press · mug

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. mug — to rob
  4. rock — a stone
  5. stem — to come from
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. charge — electricity
  9. charge — a price
  10. mug — a cup
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. chair — a leader
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. club — a group
  16. club — for golf
  17. club — for dancing
  18. press — to push
  19. rock — music
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. charge — in control
  22. press — newspapers
  23. press — a publisher
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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