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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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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: charge · wind · stem · stand · cabinet · press · wave · temple

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. charge — electricity
  4. stand — to bear
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. wind — moving air
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. press — newspapers
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. stem — to come from
  17. charge — in control
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. wind — moving air
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. press — to push
  23. press — a publisher
  24. stand — for spectators

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