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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: bore · stand · date · firm · spell · stem · pop · arm

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. bore — to drill
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. spell — a short time
  5. spell — letters
  6. date — the fruit
  7. spell — magic
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. firm — steady
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. firm — decided
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. firm — a company
  18. pop — music
  19. bore — to tire
  20. pop — soda
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. stem — to come from
  23. pop — to visit
  24. stand — on your feet

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