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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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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: stand · club · deal · cold · object · bay · stem · bat

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. The water is too ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. club — a group
  3. deal — to handle
  4. cold — the Cold War
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. object — an aim
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. object — a thing
  11. stand — to bear
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. object — to protest
  14. club — for dancing
  15. stem — to come from
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. cold — an illness
  19. club — for golf
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. bat — the animal
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. bat — in an idiom
  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