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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: root · date · stem · pass · mark · rule · mate · rush

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. rush — hurry
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. mate — a partner
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. pass — a permit
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. mate — a friend
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. root — the cause
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. root — of a word
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. rule — a law
  16. mate — to breed
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. mark — a trace
  20. mark — a grade
  21. root — of a plant
  22. stem — to come from
  23. date — the fruit
  24. rule — government

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