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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: stem · stand · chip · temple · bear · pass

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. chip — to eat
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. pass — a permit
  10. bear — the animal
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. bear — the animal
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. chip — for betting
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. stand — to bear

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