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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: charge · suit · wax · stem · arm · coach · lean · rash

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. lean — thin
  5. rash — a series
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. stem — to come from
  12. rash — hasty
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. suit — to fit
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. suit — in cards
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. wax — to grow
  19. lean — to bend
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. charge — in control
  22. suit — clothes
  23. charge — electricity
  24. coach — a trainer

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