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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: rock · swing · stand · band · stem · pass · dip · board

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. band — a ring
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. band — a music group
  5. stem — to come from
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. rock — a stone
  8. pass — a permit
  9. dip — to sink
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. swing — to play on
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. rock — music
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. board — to get on
  17. swing — music
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. swing — in golf
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. board — a committee
  24. pass — to succeed

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