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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: key · press · rule · cell · charge · trunk · pitcher · stand

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. press — to push
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. charge — electricity
  5. rule — government
  6. press — a publisher
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. charge — in control
  9. cell — in biology
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. rule — a law
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. stand — to bear
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. key — in music
  19. key — the most important part
  20. charge — a price
  21. cell — a phone
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. press — newspapers
  24. key — for a lock

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