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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: stem · tear · calf · fan · object · file · spell · bank

  1. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. bank — for money
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. spell — magic
  6. spell — a short time
  7. object — a thing
  8. bank — for money
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. file — a tool
  12. tear — to rip
  13. bank — of a river
  14. object — an aim
  15. stem — to come from
  16. spell — letters
  17. file — a line of people
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. tear — from crying
  21. file — a document
  22. tear — from crying
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. calf — a young animal

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