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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: charge · net · stem · bay · rest · stand · face · capital

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. charge — electricity
  4. net — after costs
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. face — part of the head
  11. stand — to bear
  12. net — for catching
  13. face — to point toward
  14. rest — what's left
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. stem — to come from
  17. charge — in control
  18. rest — what's left
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. capital — a city
  21. charge — a price
  22. net — in sport
  23. face — to confront
  24. capital — money

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