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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 116 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. bank — for money
  4. bank — of a river
  5. bank — for money
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. root — the cause
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. stem — to come from
  10. root — of a word
  11. game — a match
  12. game — wild animals
  13. rule — government
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. rule — a law
  16. root — of a plant
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. band — a ring
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. band — a music group
  24. safe — out of danger

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