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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: last · stem · spring · bulb · pass · ground · pitcher · wake

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. last — finally
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. stem — to come from
  5. spring — of water
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. pass — a permit
  9. spring — a coil
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. bulb — for light
  13. wake — a trail
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. ground — the earth
  18. bulb — for light
  19. last — to go on
  20. spring — the season
  21. last — final
  22. ground — a position
  23. ground — crushed
  24. pass — to succeed

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