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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 120 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. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. current — electric
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. stem — to come from
  9. content — happy
  10. board — a committee
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. rush — hurry
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. current — happening now
  15. land — ground
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. current — of water
  18. land — a country
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. board — to get on
  21. land — to come down
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. lie — to recline
  24. content — the amount

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