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

Word bank: leaves · stick · toast · bear · court · stem · race · pass

  1. The ball is in your ________________.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. race — a contest
  3. pass — a permit
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. toast — bread
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. stem — to come from
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. court — of a king
  13. court — of law
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. race — the arms race
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. bear — the animal
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. race — humankind
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. bear — the animal
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. leaves — lets stay

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