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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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: lie · dip · bore · rest · current · chair · spell · stem

  1. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. current — electric
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. bore — to drill
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. spell — a short time
  8. rest — a break
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. rest — what's left
  11. current — of water
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. spell — magic
  14. current — happening now
  15. spell — letters
  16. dip — to sink
  17. chair — a leader
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. bore — to tire
  20. lie — to recline
  21. rest — what's left
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. stem — to come from
  24. bore — gave birth

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