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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: arm · roll · charge · bound · stem · coach · wake · press

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. roll — a list
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. bound — tied together
  7. press — newspapers
  8. press — a publisher
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. wake — a trail
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. charge — in control
  17. press — to push
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. charge — a price
  20. bound — certain
  21. stem — to come from
  22. roll — a cake
  23. bound — obliged
  24. charge — electricity

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