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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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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: pass · deal · stand · rest · racket · stem · game · key

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. key — for a lock
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. rest — what's left
  6. key — the most important part
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. rest — what's left
  15. stem — to come from
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. key — in music
  18. deal — to handle
  19. game — a match
  20. rest — a break
  21. pass — a permit
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. game — wild animals
  24. deal — an agreement

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