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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: spell · suit · tube · stand · stick · stem · rush · coach

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. tube — the underground
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. stem — to come from
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. spell — letters
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. suit — in cards
  15. suit — clothes
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. suit — to fit
  18. tube — a container
  19. spell — magic
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. rush — hurry
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. spell — a short 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