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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: pass · fan · current · stem · trunk · charge · ground · chip

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. ground — crushed
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. stem — to come from
  6. chip — for betting
  7. ground — a position
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. current — happening now
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. current — of water
  17. current — electric
  18. charge — a price
  19. pass — a permit
  20. chip — to eat
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. charge — in control
  23. ground — the earth
  24. charge — electricity

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