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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: wound · stem · fan · suit · fine · rush · race · face

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. suit — to fit
  3. rush — hurry
  4. race — the arms race
  5. fine — high quality
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. wound — an injury
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. face — to point toward
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. suit — in cards
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. race — a contest
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. face — part of the head
  19. wound — an injury
  20. fine — all right
  21. race — humankind
  22. suit — clothes
  23. face — to confront
  24. fan — a supporter

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