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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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. root — of a word
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. bear — the animal
  7. rule — a law
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. spell — letters
  10. stock — shares
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. key — the most important part
  16. stock — goods
  17. stem — to come from
  18. key — in music
  19. spell — a short time
  20. root — of a plant
  21. bear — the animal
  22. spell — magic
  23. root — the cause
  24. key — for a lock

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