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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: lie · ground · bank · date · wave · last · current · stem

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. bank — of a river
  4. ground — the earth
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. last — final
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. ground — crushed
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. lie — to recline
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. current — of water
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. date — the fruit
  17. bank — for money
  18. last — finally
  19. current — electric
  20. bank — for money
  21. ground — a position
  22. last — to go on
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. 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