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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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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: jam · season · mug · charge · wound · press · stem · bound

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. season — in sport
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. press — a publisher
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. charge — a price
  8. wound — an injury
  9. bound — tied together
  10. charge — electricity
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. mug — to rob
  13. mug — a face
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. charge — in control
  16. wound — an injury
  17. season — of the year
  18. press — newspapers
  19. bound — certain
  20. bound — obliged
  21. press — to push
  22. stem — to come from
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. mug — a cup

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