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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: rest · pound · pass · stem · club · rock

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. rock — music
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. club — for golf
  5. rest — a break
  6. pass — a permit
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. stem — to come from
  9. club — a group
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. pound — a weight
  13. rest — what's left
  14. rest — what's left
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. rock — a stone
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. club — for dancing

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