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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: stem · staff · wound · cell · drill · fan · racket · safe

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. drill — the tool
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. cell — in biology
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. cell — a phone
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. wound — an injury
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. drill — army training
  13. stem — to come from
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. staff — a stick
  16. drill — a practice
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. staff — employees
  21. wound — an injury
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. staff — employees
  24. racket — for tennis

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