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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: lean · bear · club · ball · fan · can · mine · stem

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. bear — the animal
  3. ball — a dance
  4. stem — to come from
  5. can — a tin
  6. club — for dancing
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. lean — to bend
  9. can — a tin
  10. bear — the animal
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. ball — a great time
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. can — to be able to
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. club — a group
  19. mine — for digging
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. club — for golf
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. lean — thin

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