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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: rule · spell · bear · stock · mate · key · stem · court

  1. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. mate — a partner
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. spell — letters
  7. bear — the animal
  8. court — for sport
  9. stem — to come from
  10. stock — shares
  11. court — of a king
  12. mate — a friend
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. key — for a lock
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. rule — a law
  17. spell — magic
  18. mate — to breed
  19. key — in music
  20. court — of law
  21. stock — goods
  22. bear — the animal
  23. spell — a short time
  24. key — the most important part

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