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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. clip — a video
  6. rule — government
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. clip — to cut
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. stem — to come from
  13. stock — goods
  14. stock — shares
  15. kick — in football
  16. bore — to tire
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. pass — a permit
  19. bore — to drill
  20. rule — a law
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. clip — for paper
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. stem — a stem cell

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