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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. lean — thin
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. wind — moving air
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. scale — in music
  12. saw — the tool
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. scale — size or range
  18. saw — the tool
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. stem — to come from
  21. stand — to bear
  22. lean — to bend
  23. wind — moving air
  24. arm — part of the body

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