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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. stand — to bear
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. key — the most important part
  6. kid — child
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. key — in music
  11. bulb — for light
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. bulb — for light
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. kid — to tease
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. key — for a lock
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. pass — a permit
  23. kick — in football
  24. stem — to come from

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