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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 · shower · stand · stem · season · coach · can · racket

  1. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. shower — to wash
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. shower — rain
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. charge — in control
  8. can — a tin
  9. stem — to come from
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. charge — a price
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. can — to be able to
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. charge — electricity
  18. can — a tin
  19. season — in sport
  20. stand — to bear
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. stand — for spectators

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