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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: stand · pass · object · tube · craft · scale · lean · pop

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. stand — to bear
  3. craft — boats
  4. tube — a container
  5. object — a thing
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. object — an aim
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. scale — size or range
  11. tube — the underground
  12. pop — music
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. craft — a skill
  16. pop — to visit
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. pop — soda
  20. lean — to bend
  21. object — to protest
  22. pass — a permit
  23. lean — thin
  24. scale — in music

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