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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: stem · rush · net · pass · field · snap · staff · season

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. snap — to click
  3. net — in sport
  4. season — in sport
  5. season — of the year
  6. net — for catching
  7. net — after costs
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. rush — hurry
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. field — for sport
  13. stem — to come from
  14. field — a subject
  15. staff — employees
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. pass — a permit
  19. staff — employees
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. field — farmland
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. staff — a stick
  24. rush — a thrill

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