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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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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: cell · drill · rush · stand · hand · stem · fan · craft

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. stand — to bear
  5. rush — hurry
  6. cell — in biology
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. cell — a phone
  9. hand — help
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. drill — a practice
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. drill — army training
  17. stem — to come from
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. hand — in cards
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. drill — the tool
  22. craft — boats
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. craft — a skill

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