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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: bear · land · root · craft · stand · wake · cap · pass

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. cap — a lid
  3. land — to come down
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. land — a country
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. bear — the animal
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. craft — a skill
  11. craft — boats
  12. pass — a permit
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. cap — a hat
  15. land — ground
  16. wake — a trail
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. root — the cause
  19. cap — of ice
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. root — of a plant
  23. bear — the animal
  24. root — of a word

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