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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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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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. root — of a word
  3. stand — to bear
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. mate — a partner
  6. stem — to come from
  7. root — the cause
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. firm — decided
  11. mate — to breed
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. firm — a company
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. mate — a friend
  21. root — of a plant
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. rush — hurry

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