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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: pass · prune · date · bear · stem · rock · stand · chest

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. chest — of your body
  5. stem — to come from
  6. bear — the animal
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. date — the fruit
  10. stand — to bear
  11. rock — music
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. prune — to trim
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. bear — the animal
  16. chest — a box
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. prune — to trim
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. chest — of your body
  24. rock — a stone

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