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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 120 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: spell · cabinet · fine · court · stem · fan · snap · lean

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. fine — all right
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. court — of a king
  10. spell — a short time
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. court — for sport
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. snap — to click
  15. fine — high quality
  16. court — of law
  17. spell — magic
  18. stem — to come from
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. lean — to bend
  23. spell — letters
  24. lean — thin

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