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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: object · jam · pop · charge · straw · leaves · stem · press

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. pop — to visit
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. stem — to come from
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. object — a thing
  8. object — to protest
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. charge — in control
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. charge — electricity
  13. object — an aim
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. pop — music
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. charge — a price
  18. press — to push
  19. press — newspapers
  20. press — a publisher
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. pop — soda

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