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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: fine · stem · board · bass · straw · deal · fan · snap

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. stem — to come from
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. snap — to click
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. board — to get on
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. bass — low music
  15. board — a committee
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. fine — high quality
  18. bass — the fish
  19. deal — to handle
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. fine — all right
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. deal — a big deal
  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