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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. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. spring — of water
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. stem — to come from
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. spring — a coil
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. cue — a signal
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. pass — a permit
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. spring — the season
  16. wake — a trail
  17. cue — a hint
  18. date — the fruit
  19. stand — to bear
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. plane — a tool
  23. cue — for pool
  24. pass — to succeed

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