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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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. stand — to bear
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. pit — a hole
  6. stem — to come from
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. rest — a break
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. rest — what's left
  11. shower — to wash
  12. rest — what's left
  13. swing — to play on
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. chair — a leader
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. pit — in a race
  19. swing — music
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. shower — rain
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. swing — in golf
  24. fan — a supporter

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