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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 120 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: stem · charge · sharp · stand · band · root · chip · lash

  1. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a music group
  2. stem — to come from
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. band — a ring
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. charge — electricity
  13. stand — to bear
  14. charge — a price
  15. root — the cause
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. charge — in control
  18. chip — for betting
  19. chip — to eat
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. root — of a word
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. sharp — clever
  24. root — of a plant

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