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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: kid · bound · bank · race · stem · leaves · plane · charge

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. bank — for money
  3. race — humankind
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. charge — a price
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. stem — to come from
  8. bound — obliged
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. charge — electricity
  11. race — the arms race
  12. bank — of a river
  13. race — a contest
  14. bound — tied together
  15. kid — child
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. plane — a tool
  21. bound — certain
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. bank — for money
  24. kid — to tease

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