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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. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. lie — to recline
  4. stem — to come from
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. current — happening now
  9. mate — a friend
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. current — of water
  13. mate — a partner
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. pass — a permit
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. sharp — clever
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. mate — to breed
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. coach — a trainer

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