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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: bulb · stand · stem · firm · spring · date · wave · mate

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. stand — to bear
  3. bulb — for light
  4. spring — the season
  5. mate — a friend
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. firm — a company
  8. spring — of water
  9. firm — steady
  10. mate — to breed
  11. mate — a partner
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. date — the fruit
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. firm — decided
  16. spring — a coil
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. stem — to come from
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. bulb — for light
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. date — on the calendar

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