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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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: degree · bear · rash · leaves · suit · stem · mark · pass

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. stem — to come from
  5. suit — to fit
  6. degree — an amount
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. pass — a permit
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. bear — the animal
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. suit — in cards
  14. mark — a grade
  15. suit — clothes
  16. degree — from a university
  17. rash — hasty
  18. bear — the animal
  19. rash — a series
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. mark — a trace
  23. degree — temperature
  24. bear — to put up with

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