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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: ground · firm · staff · spell · pass · stem · row · stand

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. spell — a short time
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. staff — employees
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. ground — a position
  8. pass — a permit
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. staff — employees
  11. row — a line
  12. stem — to come from
  13. firm — a company
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. staff — a stick
  17. spell — letters
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. ground — crushed
  20. stand — to bear
  21. firm — decided
  22. spell — magic
  23. firm — steady
  24. ground — the earth

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