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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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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: cap · rule · tear · stem · fork · perch · mark · mug

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. cap — of ice
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. mark — a trace
  7. rule — a law
  8. cap — a hat
  9. perch — the fish
  10. tear — from crying
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. mug — a cup
  14. tear — from crying
  15. fork — in a road
  16. mark — a grade
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. rule — government
  20. cap — a lid
  21. mug — to rob
  22. stem — to come from
  23. mug — a face
  24. tear — to rip

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