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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: arm · charge · snap · suit · pop · staff · rash · stem

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. charge — a price
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. pop — to visit
  5. staff — employees
  6. charge — in control
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. suit — clothes
  10. pop — soda
  11. pop — music
  12. staff — employees
  13. suit — in cards
  14. snap — to click
  15. rash — hasty
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. charge — electricity
  21. staff — a stick
  22. suit — to fit
  23. rash — a series
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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