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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: can · fan · land · dip · stem · tear · ruler · current

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. tear — from crying
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. dip — to sink
  7. can — a tin
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. land — ground
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. land — to come down
  13. tear — to rip
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. current — of water
  16. current — electric
  17. can — a tin
  18. current — happening now
  19. stem — to come from
  20. can — to be able to
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. tear — from crying
  24. land — a country

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