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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: cabinet · file · racket · charge · pass · stem · capital · rush

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. capital — a city
  7. charge — a price
  8. rush — hurry
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. charge — electricity
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. file — a tool
  16. capital — money
  17. file — a line of people
  18. pass — a permit
  19. charge — in control
  20. file — a document
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. stem — to come from

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