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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: spell · stem · club · cabinet · key · charge · pitcher · press

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. press — a publisher
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. club — a group
  6. spell — letters
  7. key — in music
  8. press — to push
  9. charge — a price
  10. charge — electricity
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. stem — to come from
  14. key — for a lock
  15. charge — in control
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. club — for golf
  19. spell — magic
  20. club — for dancing
  21. press — newspapers
  22. key — the most important part
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. spell — a short time

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