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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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  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. fan — a supporter
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. stem — to come from
  4. drill — army training
  5. drill — a practice
  6. drill — the tool
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. sharp — clever
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. wound — an injury
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. bank — for money
  15. charge — electricity
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. charge — in control
  18. charge — a price
  19. bank — for money
  20. wound — an injury
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. bank — of a river

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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