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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. stem — to come from
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. bound — obliged
  5. current — electric
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. march — music
  9. current — happening now
  10. march — the month
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. plane — a tool
  14. bound — tied together
  15. bound — certain
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. current — of water
  18. march — the month

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