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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: fall · staff · suit · tube · stem · race · charge · jam

  1. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. tube — the underground
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. fall — to drop
  6. charge — in control
  7. staff — a stick
  8. fall — to drop
  9. fall — the season
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. suit — in cards
  12. race — the arms race
  13. charge — a price
  14. suit — clothes
  15. charge — electricity
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. staff — employees
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. stem — to come from
  21. staff — employees
  22. race — humankind
  23. tube — a container
  24. suit — to fit

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