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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: rule · current · charge · stem · wax · lean · rash · press

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. press — to push
  4. lean — to bend
  5. wax — to grow
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. rule — government
  8. current — electric
  9. current — of water
  10. charge — a price
  11. rule — a law
  12. press — a publisher
  13. charge — electricity
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. stem — to come from
  17. lean — thin
  18. press — newspapers
  19. rash — a series
  20. rash — hasty
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. charge — in control
  24. current — happening now

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