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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. pass — a permit
  3. object — a thing
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. rock — music
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. rule — government
  10. date — the fruit
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. rock — a stone
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. object — to protest
  17. object — an aim
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. rule — a law
  22. pound — a weight
  23. stem — to come from
  24. date — on the calendar

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