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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: stand · lean · chair · rock · capital · stem · mine · charge

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. lean — to bend
  4. charge — in control
  5. stand — to bear
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. stem — to come from
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. chair — a leader
  10. capital — a city
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. rock — a stone
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. capital — money
  15. mine — for digging
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. lean — thin
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. charge — a price
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. charge — electricity
  23. rock — music
  24. capital — a big letter

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