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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 116 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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. rock — music
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. face — to confront
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. mate — a partner
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. bound — tied together
  9. current — electric
  10. can — a tin
  11. current — of water
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. can — a tin
  14. bound — certain
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. face — part of the head
  18. stem — to come from
  19. can — to be able to
  20. bound — obliged
  21. face — to point toward
  22. mate — a friend
  23. mate — to breed
  24. current — happening now

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