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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: cabinet · stem · deal · court · drill · mark · cell · lean

  1. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. mark — a grade
  3. drill — army training
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. deal — to handle
  6. drill — the tool
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. court — of a king
  9. lean — to bend
  10. cell — a phone
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. court — of law
  18. cell — in biology
  19. mark — a trace
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. drill — a practice
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. lean — thin
  24. court — for sport

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