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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. stem — to come from
  3. season — of the year
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. lean — thin
  6. current — of water
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. season — in sport
  11. rule — a law
  12. mate — to breed
  13. mate — a partner
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. wax — to grow
  16. current — electric
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. mate — a friend
  21. lean — to bend
  22. rule — government
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. stem — of a plant

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