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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. can — a tin
  3. current — electric
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. board — a committee
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. board — to get on
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. can — a tin
  10. mine — for digging
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. staff — employees
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. current — happening now
  16. staff — a stick
  17. stem — to come from
  18. staff — employees
  19. current — of water
  20. lean — to bend
  21. can — to be able to
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. lean — to rest against

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