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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 · stem · fan · tear · net · row · calf · suit

  1. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. net — after costs
  4. lean — thin
  5. net — in sport
  6. suit — to fit
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. stem — to come from
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. suit — in cards
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. row — to paddle
  14. lean — to bend
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. net — for catching
  18. tear — from crying
  19. suit — clothes
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. tear — to rip
  22. tear — from crying
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. fan — to cool the air

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