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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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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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. stand — to bear
  3. fine — high quality
  4. pop — to visit
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. stem — to come from
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. staff — a stick
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. staff — employees
  13. can — a tin
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. can — to be able to
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. pop — music
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. staff — employees
  21. can — a tin
  22. fine — all right
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. pop — soda

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