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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: stem · safe · root · rule · cell · club · roll · racket

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. roll — a list
  4. rule — government
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. club — for golf
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. club — for dancing
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. cell — in biology
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. root — the cause
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. club — a group
  17. rule — a law
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. root — of a plant
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. cell — a phone
  22. roll — a cake
  23. stem — to come from
  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