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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: calf · land · pit · rule · hide · stem · cabinet · branch

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. land — to come down
  3. rule — government
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. land — ground
  7. land — a country
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. pit — a hole
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. pit — in a race
  13. branch — a division
  14. stem — to come from
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. rule — a law

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