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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: pit · bulb · cabinet · stem · pass · chest · press · nail

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. bulb — for light
  4. chest — of your body
  5. chest — of your body
  6. bulb — for light
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. stem — to come from
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. pit — a hole
  12. pit — in a race
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. press — to push
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. press — a publisher
  18. press — newspapers
  19. chest — a box
  20. pass — a permit
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. pass — to succeed

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