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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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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: object · stand · root · tube · stem · bulb · rule · cap

  1. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. bulb — for light
  5. object — an aim
  6. root — the cause
  7. cap — of ice
  8. cap — a lid
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. bulb — for light
  11. object — a thing
  12. tube — the underground
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. stand — to bear
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. object — to protest
  18. rule — a law
  19. root — of a word
  20. stem — to come from
  21. tube — a container
  22. root — of a plant
  23. cap — a hat
  24. stem — a stem cell

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