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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.

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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: bear · stem · stand · pass · tube · cold · spell · suit

  1. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. The water is too ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — the Cold War
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. cold — an illness
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bear — the animal
  8. tube — the underground
  9. suit — in cards
  10. suit — clothes
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. stem — to come from
  13. stand — to bear
  14. spell — letters
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. spell — magic
  17. tube — a container
  18. pass — a permit
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. suit — to fit
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. cold — not warm
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. spell — a short time

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