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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 120 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. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. mark — a grade
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. bat — the animal
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. fork — in a road
  9. mark — a trace
  10. charge — a price
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. charge — in control
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. stem — to come from
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. ball — a dance
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. ball — a great time
  21. charge — electricity
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. ball — a round shape

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