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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: race · roll · rule · stick · mate · stem

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. rule — a law
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. race — a contest
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. race — the arms race
  9. mate — to breed
  10. rule — government
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. roll — a cake
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. stem — to come from
  15. mate — a friend
  16. mate — a partner
  17. race — humankind
  18. roll — a list

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