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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.

Make a worksheet

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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. stand — to bear
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. tear — from crying
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. tear — from crying
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. tear — to rip
  15. stem — to come from
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. fan — to cool the air

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