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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: pit · shower · cabinet · bore · pass · stem · rule · nail

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. pass — a permit
  6. bore — to drill
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. stem — to come from
  10. pit — a hole
  11. rule — government
  12. rule — a law
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. shower — rain
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. pit — in a race
  19. shower — to wash
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. bore — to tire
  24. bore — gave birth

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