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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 · ground · suit · staff · race · wave · land · stem

  1. There's no middle ________________.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. staff — a stick
  3. land — to come down
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. land — ground
  6. ground — the earth
  7. suit — clothes
  8. stem — to come from
  9. race — the arms race
  10. staff — employees
  11. staff — employees
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. race — humankind
  14. land — a country
  15. suit — to fit
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. race — a contest
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. ground — crushed
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. suit — in cards
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. fan — a supporter

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