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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 116 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 was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. ball — a great time
  3. stem — to come from
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. ball — a dance
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. bass — the fish
  8. object — an aim
  9. object — a thing
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. kick — in football
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. object — to protest
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. bass — low music
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. wax — to grow
  24. straw — a straw man

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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