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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: cold · deal · stem · rest · staff · foot · rule · cabinet

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. The water is too ________________.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. rest — what's left
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. rule — a law
  6. deal — to handle
  7. cold — an illness
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. staff — employees
  10. foot — a measure
  11. staff — employees
  12. cold — not warm
  13. staff — a stick
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. stem — to come from
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. rule — government
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. cold — the Cold War
  23. rest — a break
  24. deal — an agreement

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