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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: tube · stem · cap · shower · cabinet · rule · calf · key

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. cap — a lid
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. key — the most important part
  7. tube — the underground
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. stem — to come from
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. key — in music
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. rule — a law
  17. shower — rain
  18. rule — government
  19. cap — of ice
  20. cap — a hat
  21. shower — to wash
  22. tube — a container
  23. key — for a lock
  24. calf — a young animal

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