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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: cell · rule · stem · racket · snap · scale · drill · bulb

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. bulb — for light
  3. drill — a practice
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. drill — army training
  6. snap — to click
  7. drill — the tool
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. scale — size or range
  11. cell — in biology
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. cell — a phone
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. bulb — for light
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. stem — to come from
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. rule — government
  21. rule — a law
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. scale — in music

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