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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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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. fan — a supporter
  4. spell — a short time
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. staff — employees
  7. present — a gift
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. staff — a stick
  10. spell — letters
  11. present — there
  12. fall — the season
  13. spell — magic
  14. cue — a signal
  15. current — electric
  16. fall — to drop
  17. present — the time now
  18. cue — for pool
  19. fall — to drop
  20. stem — to come from
  21. staff — employees
  22. current — happening now
  23. current — of water
  24. cue — a hint

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