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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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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 · bay · charge · bowl · stem · snap · shower · fall

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. fall — the season
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. snap — to click
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. stem — to come from
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. charge — a price
  16. fall — to drop
  17. charge — electricity
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. shower — to wash
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. fall — to drop
  24. shower — rain

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