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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. bear — the animal
  3. stem — to come from
  4. pass — a permit
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. season — in sport
  8. bear — the animal
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. tube — a container
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. hand — help
  13. season — of the year
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. suit — clothes
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. suit — to fit
  22. hand — in cards
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. tube — the underground

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