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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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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: fall · object · safe · stand · hide · root · pass · spring

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. fall — to drop
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. root — of a plant
  5. spring — of water
  6. stand — to bear
  7. spring — a coil
  8. fall — to drop
  9. root — of a word
  10. object — to protest
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. root — the cause
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. object — an aim
  18. object — a thing
  19. pass — a permit
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. fall — the season
  22. spring — the season
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. stand — for spectators

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