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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 · spell · cap · sharp · stem · track · band

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. spell — letters
  3. spell — a short time
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. stem — to come from
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. cap — a lid
  9. spell — magic
  10. stand — to bear
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. track — to keep track
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. pass — a permit
  15. track — a path
  16. band — a music group
  17. band — a ring
  18. track — a song
  19. cap — a hat
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. sharp — clever

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