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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: stick · rule · stem · present · object · racket

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. object — to protest
  3. stem — to come from
  4. object — an aim
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. rule — government
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. present — there
  12. object — a thing
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. present — a gift
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. rule — a law
  18. present — the time now

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