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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 116 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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. bound — tied together
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. wind — moving air
  8. stand — to bear
  9. wind — moving air
  10. squash — to crush
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. can — a tin
  15. bound — obliged
  16. squash — the sport
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. bound — certain
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. stem — to come from
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. can — a tin
  24. stand — for spectators

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