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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: stem · season · pound · pass · track · rock · bay · spring

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. season — in sport
  5. spring — a coil
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. rock — music
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. pound — a weight
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. season — of the year
  13. track — a song
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. spring — of water
  16. spring — the season
  17. track — to keep track
  18. pass — a permit
  19. track — a path
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. stem — to come from

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