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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: stand · cell · mug · stem · object · charge · bass · bound

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. charge — in control
  3. bound — obliged
  4. mug — a cup
  5. mug — a face
  6. charge — electricity
  7. bound — certain
  8. stem — to come from
  9. object — to protest
  10. charge — a price
  11. mug — to rob
  12. stand — to bear
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. object — an aim
  16. cell — a phone
  17. bass — low music
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. object — a thing
  22. bound — tied together
  23. bass — the fish
  24. cell — in biology

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