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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: fan · degree · pass · fall · lean · bound · stem · fine

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  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 — a stem cell
  2. fall — the season
  3. bound — tied together
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. fall — to drop
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. stem — to come from
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. fall — to drop
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. degree — an amount
  13. lean — thin
  14. degree — from a university
  15. bound — obliged
  16. fine — all right
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. degree — temperature
  19. bound — certain
  20. lean — to bend
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. pass — a permit
  23. fine — high quality
  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