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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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. cell — a phone
  5. stem — to come from
  6. board — a committee
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. club — a group
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. cell — in biology
  12. club — for dancing
  13. club — for golf
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. board — to get on
  18. bulb — for light
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. bulb — for light
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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