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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: stand · lean · stem · bat · fan · key · roll · foot

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. bat — the animal
  3. key — for a lock
  4. lean — thin
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. foot — a measure
  9. key — in music
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. roll — a cake
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. stem — to come from
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. roll — a list
  18. key — the most important part
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. stand — to bear
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. lean — to bend
  24. lean — to rest against

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