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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: deal · charge · press · spell · stem · cold · mug · pass

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. The water is too ________________.
  5. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. spell — a short time
  3. press — a publisher
  4. cold — not warm
  5. cold — an illness
  6. press — newspapers
  7. mug — to rob
  8. deal — to handle
  9. press — to push
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. spell — letters
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. cold — the Cold War
  14. spell — magic
  15. pass — a permit
  16. charge — a price
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. charge — electricity
  19. stem — to come from
  20. mug — a face
  21. mug — a cup
  22. charge — in control
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. pass — to spend time

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