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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: rule · mate · cabinet · can · branch · tube · pass · stem

  1. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a bank
  2. rule — government
  3. can — a tin
  4. can — to be able to
  5. tube — a container
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. can — a tin
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. stem — to come from
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. mate — a friend
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. mate — to breed
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. pass — a permit
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. mate — a partner
  21. branch — a division
  22. tube — the underground
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. rule — a law

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