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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 120 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 can't ________________ this cold.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. stem — to come from
  5. tube — the underground
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. mark — a trace
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. race — the arms race
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. ground — the earth
  15. race — a contest
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. pass — a permit
  19. race — humankind
  20. tube — a container
  21. ground — a position
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. mark — a grade
  24. ground — crushed

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