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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: pop · rush · current · nail · stem · charge · rest · craft

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  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. rush — to hurry
  2. stem — to come from
  3. rush — hurry
  4. pop — soda
  5. charge — electricity
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. charge — in control
  8. craft — boats
  9. rest — what's left
  10. rest — what's left
  11. current — of water
  12. craft — a skill
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. pop — to visit
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. current — electric
  20. rest — a break
  21. charge — a price
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. pop — music
  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