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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: rash · saw · club · fan · net · arm · rule · stem

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. saw — the tool
  5. rash — a series
  6. rash — hasty
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. saw — the tool
  9. net — for catching
  10. club — for dancing
  11. club — a group
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. rule — government
  17. club — for golf
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. net — in sport
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. net — after costs
  24. rule — a law

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