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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. scale — in music
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. present — there
  6. file — a document
  7. staff — a stick
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. can — to be able to
  11. present — a gift
  12. present — the time now
  13. stem — to come from
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. staff — employees
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. file — a line of people
  18. can — a tin
  19. staff — employees
  20. scale — size or range
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. can — a tin
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. file — a tool

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