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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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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: racket · key · ground · face · current · board · hide · stem

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. key — for a lock
  5. ground — a position
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. current — electric
  10. board — to get on
  11. ground — crushed
  12. current — of water
  13. ground — the earth
  14. face — to confront
  15. stem — to come from
  16. face — part of the head
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. face — to point toward
  19. key — the most important part
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. current — happening now
  22. board — a committee
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. key — in music

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