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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: stem · chest · charge · stand · safe · current · date · cue

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. chest — of your body
  3. charge — in control
  4. chest — of your body
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. stem — to come from
  7. current — of water
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. cue — a signal
  11. cue — for pool
  12. charge — a price
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. stand — to bear
  15. chest — a box
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. cue — a hint
  19. charge — electricity
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. current — happening now
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. date — the fruit

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