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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. fall — to drop
  5. staff — employees
  6. staff — employees
  7. can — to be able to
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. fall — to drop
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. can — a tin
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. stem — to come from
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. can — a tin
  21. staff — a stick
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. fan — to cool the air

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