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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · hide · cap · net · pass · stem · arm · club

  1. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. cap — of ice
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. club — a group
  6. net — in sport
  7. pass — a permit
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. cap — a lid
  10. net — for catching
  11. club — for golf
  12. stem — to come from
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. club — for dancing
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. cap — a hat
  24. stem — a stem cell

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