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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: cabinet · rock · stand · rule · pop · cap · stem · coach

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. rule — government
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. rock — music
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. pop — to visit
  8. pop — music
  9. cap — a lid
  10. cap — of ice
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. rule — a law
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. rock — a stone
  20. stem — to come from
  21. stand — to bear
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. cap — a hat

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