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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: rule · firm · calf · bear · stem · pass

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. stem — to come from
  4. firm — a company
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. bear — the animal
  7. firm — decided
  8. pass — a permit
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. firm — steady
  11. rule — government
  12. bear — the animal
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. rule — a law
  18. pass — to spend time

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