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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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. firm — steady
  3. fork — in a road
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. wax — to grow
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. firm — decided
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. firm — a company
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. object — a thing
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. object — an aim
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. shower — rain
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. shower — to wash
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. object — to protest
  24. wax — in the ear

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