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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: press · date · trunk · stem · rest · bowl · wave · charge

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. press — a publisher
  5. charge — in control
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. charge — a price
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. rest — what's left
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. charge — electricity
  13. rest — a break
  14. date — the fruit
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. rest — what's left
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. press — newspapers
  20. press — to push
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. date — on the calendar

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