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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: fan · press · spring · board · lean · stem · content · pitcher

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. press — to push
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. content — the amount
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. press — newspapers
  8. spring — the season
  9. lean — thin
  10. spring — a coil
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. content — happy
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. press — a publisher
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. board — to get on
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. lean — to bend
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. board — a committee
  24. spring — of water

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