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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  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. lie — an untruth
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. drill — a practice
  4. drill — the tool
  5. current — of water
  6. kid — child
  7. ground — crushed
  8. lie — to recline
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. drill — army training
  12. stem — to come from
  13. current — electric
  14. ground — a position
  15. current — happening now
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. ground — the earth
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. kid — to tease
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  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