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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: nail · charge · root · dip · net · stick · rule · stem

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. net — in sport
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. charge — a price
  9. rule — government
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. charge — electricity
  12. dip — to sink
  13. net — after costs
  14. charge — in control
  15. net — for catching
  16. stem — to come from
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. root — of a plant
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. root — the cause
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. rule — a law
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. root — of a word

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