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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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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 · stem · rule · club · object · mug · cell · pitch

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. mug — a face
  3. rule — government
  4. rule — a law
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. mug — a cup
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. club — for dancing
  11. cell — a phone
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. object — a thing
  15. club — for golf
  16. cell — in biology
  17. object — an aim
  18. mug — to rob
  19. stem — to come from
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. pitch — completely
  23. object — to protest
  24. club — a group

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