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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: cell · leaves · shower · stand · pass · current · plane · bat

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. current — of water
  6. current — happening now
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. pass — a permit
  10. current — electric
  11. shower — to wash
  12. plane — a tool
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. cell — in biology
  15. shower — rain
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. bat — the animal
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. cell — a phone

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