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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: capital · stand · leaves · fall · net · spring · mark · pass

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. spring — of water
  3. fall — to drop
  4. fall — the season
  5. net — for catching
  6. fall — to drop
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. net — in sport
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. stand — to bear
  12. spring — a coil
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. pass — a permit
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. capital — money
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. mark — a trace
  19. spring — the season
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. mark — a grade
  23. capital — a city
  24. net — after costs

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