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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. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. bank — for money
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. mine — for digging
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. plane — a tool
  15. bank — of a river
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. stem — to come from
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. bank — for money
  24. arm — part of the body

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