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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.

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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. board — to get on
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. stock — shares
  7. mate — a partner
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bulb — for light
  10. object — a thing
  11. object — an aim
  12. stem — to come from
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. rule — a law
  15. mate — to breed
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. bass — the fish
  18. mate — a friend
  19. object — to protest
  20. stock — goods
  21. bass — low music
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. board — a committee
  24. board — a flat piece

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