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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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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: rule · current · stand · mate · stem · press · mark · cell

  1. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. press — a publisher
  2. mark — a trace
  3. mark — a grade
  4. current — electric
  5. stand — to bear
  6. current — of water
  7. mate — to breed
  8. stem — to come from
  9. rule — a law
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. rule — government
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. press — to push
  15. cell — in biology
  16. current — happening now
  17. mate — a partner
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. press — newspapers
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. cell — a phone
  22. mate — a friend
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. rule — to rule out

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