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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: pass · club · bank · rule · bat · stem · bulb · pop

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. pop — to visit
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. pop — soda
  6. stem — to come from
  7. club — for dancing
  8. rule — a law
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. club — a group
  15. pass — a permit
  16. bulb — for light
  17. club — for golf
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. bank — for money
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. bank — of a river
  22. bat — the animal
  23. rule — government
  24. pop — music

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