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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 116 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: staff · spring · stand · swing · charge · stem · present · pop

  1. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. stem — to come from
  3. staff — a stick
  4. swing — in golf
  5. charge — in control
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. present — there
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. stand — to bear
  11. swing — music
  12. pop — music
  13. staff — employees
  14. spring — the season
  15. spring — of water
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. swing — to play on
  18. pop — to visit
  19. present — a gift
  20. charge — a price
  21. present — the time now
  22. spring — a coil
  23. charge — electricity
  24. pop — soda

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