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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: stand · craft · stem · leaves · pass · current · lie · cold

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. The water is too ________________.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. current — happening now
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. current — electric
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. stand — to bear
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. lie — to recline
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. craft — boats
  13. cold — an illness
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. current — of water
  16. stem — to come from
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. cold — not warm
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. cold — the Cold War
  22. craft — a skill
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. pass — to spend 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