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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: bark · fan · key · suit · content · bear · stem · cell

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. content — the amount
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. suit — clothes
  7. suit — to fit
  8. bear — the animal
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. key — in music
  11. cell — a phone
  12. suit — in cards
  13. key — the most important part
  14. bark — to shout
  15. bear — the animal
  16. key — for a lock
  17. stem — to come from
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. cell — in biology
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. content — happy
  24. content — videos and posts

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