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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: stand · charge · squash · bank · content · stem · craft · patient

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. charge — a price
  3. craft — boats
  4. charge — electricity
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. bank — for money
  9. charge — in control
  10. craft — a skill
  11. bank — for money
  12. content — happy
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. squash — to crush
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. squash — the sport
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. bank — of a river
  21. content — the amount
  22. stand — to bear
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. stand — on your feet

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