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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: charge · toast · bear · capital · lash · stem · firm · current

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. charge — in control
  3. toast — bread
  4. stem — to come from
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. current — electric
  9. bear — the animal
  10. firm — a company
  11. capital — money
  12. current — of water
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. firm — steady
  15. capital — a city
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. firm — decided
  18. bear — the animal
  19. charge — electricity
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. charge — a price
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. current — happening now

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