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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.

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: saw · stem · ruler · bat · ball · club · fan · mouse

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. club — for golf
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. ball — a dance
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. ball — a great time
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. bat — the animal
  15. saw — the tool
  16. club — for dancing
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. stem — to come from
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. club — a group
  24. saw — the tool

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