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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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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: wake · stem · cabinet · press · land · toast · rule · temple

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. rule — government
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. land — ground
  10. land — to come down
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. wake — a trail
  13. press — newspapers
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. rule — a law
  16. press — a publisher
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. press — to push
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. toast — bread
  22. stem — to come from
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. land — a country

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