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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: kick · stem · spell · face · rock · fine · stand · pass

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. rock — music
  5. fine — all right
  6. rock — a stone
  7. face — part of the head
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. face — to confront
  11. pass — a permit
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. spell — magic
  16. kick — in football
  17. spell — a short time
  18. stand — to bear
  19. face — to point toward
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. stem — to come from
  22. fine — high quality
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. spell — letters

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