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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 · leaves · net · staff · stand · root · perch · pass

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bear — the animal
  6. net — for catching
  7. root — of a word
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. staff — employees
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. stand — to bear
  12. net — after costs
  13. staff — a stick
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. staff — employees
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. pass — a permit
  19. root — of a plant
  20. perch — the fish
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. root — the cause

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