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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 120 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: stem · rule · press · tube · chip · bay · root · cabinet

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. rule — government
  4. press — to push
  5. press — a publisher
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. root — of a word
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. press — newspapers
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. chip — for betting
  12. tube — the underground
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. root — of a plant
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. tube — a container
  17. stem — to come from
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. chip — to eat
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. rule — a law
  23. root — the cause
  24. chip — in a computer

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