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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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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: pass · stand · mark · cold · root · can · band · racket

  1. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. The water is too ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — an illness
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. root — of a word
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. root — of a plant
  8. mark — a grade
  9. band — a music group
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. can — a tin
  12. root — the cause
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. pass — a permit
  16. can — a tin
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. band — a ring
  19. can — to be able to
  20. cold — the Cold War
  21. mark — a trace
  22. stand — to bear
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. cold — not warm

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