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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: object · march · chip · mug · patient · charge · stem · face

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. face — to confront
  3. charge — in control
  4. object — to protest
  5. face — part of the head
  6. march — the month
  7. object — a thing
  8. object — an aim
  9. chip — for betting
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. march — the month
  12. mug — to rob
  13. mug — a face
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. charge — electricity
  18. face — to point toward
  19. mug — a cup
  20. chip — to eat
  21. charge — a price
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. march — music
  24. stem — to come from

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