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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 120 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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. season — in sport
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. rule — a law
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. stock — goods
  10. stock — shares
  11. band — a music group
  12. band — a ring
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. rule — government
  15. key — the most important part
  16. key — for a lock
  17. stem — to come from
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. key — in music

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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