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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 · stem · rush · dip · racket · lean · saw · stand

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. lean — to bend
  3. lean — thin
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. bear — the animal
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. saw — the tool
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. rush — hurry
  18. saw — the tool
  19. stem — to come from
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. stand — to bear
  23. dip — to sink
  24. stand — for spectators

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