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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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Word bank
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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: land · stem · rock · fall · cabinet · board

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. fall — the season
  4. land — to come down
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. fall — to drop
  7. board — a committee
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. rock — a stone
  12. land — ground
  13. rock — music
  14. fall — to drop
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. board — to get on
  17. land — a country
  18. rock — to move gently

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