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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 · stem · spell · charge · bound · stock · foot · wind

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. wind — moving air
  3. stem — to come from
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. charge — in control
  6. charge — a price
  7. stock — goods
  8. bound — tied together
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. stand — to bear
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. stock — shares
  15. foot — a measure
  16. spell — a short time
  17. spell — letters
  18. bound — certain
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. spell — magic
  22. wind — moving air
  23. charge — electricity
  24. stem — of a plant

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