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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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  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. stem — of a plant
  2. court — of a king
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. swing — to play on
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. stand — to bear
  9. ball — a dance
  10. current — electric
  11. stem — to come from
  12. swing — music
  13. current — of water
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. swing — in golf
  18. ball — a great time
  19. court — of law
  20. current — happening now
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. court — for sport
  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