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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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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 · stem · wax · ruler · race · swing · press · bank

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. press — a publisher
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. bank — for money
  6. race — the arms race
  7. swing — in golf
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. race — humankind
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. bank — of a river
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. press — newspapers
  14. press — to push
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. swing — to play on
  17. race — a contest
  18. stem — to come from
  19. bank — for money
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. swing — music
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. wax — to grow

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