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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 chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. stem — to come from
  5. spell — magic
  6. deal — to handle
  7. land — a country
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. suit — in cards
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. rule — a law
  15. land — to come down
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. spell — a short time
  19. rule — government
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. spell — letters
  22. suit — clothes
  23. suit — to fit
  24. land — ground

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