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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 116 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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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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. fine — high quality
  5. tear — to rip
  6. firm — a company
  7. fine — all right
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. bulb — for light
  10. drill — a practice
  11. tear — from crying
  12. drill — the tool
  13. firm — decided
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. stem — to come from
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. drill — army training
  21. bulb — for light
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. firm — steady
  24. tear — from crying

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