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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 120 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 · lie · staff · mug · charge · row · wake · temple

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. charge — a price
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. staff — employees
  5. mug — to rob
  6. staff — a stick
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. charge — electricity
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. row — to paddle
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. mug — a cup
  14. lie — to recline
  15. charge — in control
  16. stem — to come from
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. wake — a trail
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. staff — employees
  21. mug — a face
  22. row — a line
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. row — a quarrel

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