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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: ruler · bay · stem · cell · current · jam

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. current — of water
  3. current — happening now
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. cell — a phone
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. cell — in biology
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. stem — to come from

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