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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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. mate — to breed
  3. bear — the animal
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. swing — music
  6. suit — to fit
  7. band — a music group
  8. stand — to bear
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. mate — a friend
  11. suit — in cards
  12. swing — in golf
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. band — a ring
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. bear — the animal
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. mate — a partner
  20. stem — to come from
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. swing — to play on
  23. suit — clothes
  24. coach — a trainer

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