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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.

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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. club — for dancing
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. club — for golf
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. bank — for money
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. club — a group
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. charge — in control
  13. kid — child
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. bank — for money
  16. charge — electricity
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. deal — to handle
  19. mug — a cup
  20. mug — a face
  21. stem — to come from
  22. charge — a price
  23. kid — to tease
  24. bank — of a river

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