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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: roll · rule · root · cell · stem · mine · fine · ruler

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. rule — a law
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. roll — a list
  7. root — the cause
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. cell — in biology
  10. rule — government
  11. cell — a phone
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. roll — a cake
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. mine — for digging
  20. root — of a plant
  21. root — of a word
  22. stem — to come from
  23. fine — all right
  24. fine — high quality

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