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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 · game · cabinet · stem · arm · nail · bay · bark

  1. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bark — to shout
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. game — wild animals
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. game — a match
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. stem — to come from
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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