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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: bear · stem · jam · mouse · rule · cap · drill · cabinet

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. rule — government
  7. drill — the tool
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. cap — of ice
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. drill — army training
  13. drill — a practice
  14. cap — a hat
  15. cap — a lid
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. bear — the animal
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. bear — the animal
  22. rule — a law
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. stem — to come from

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