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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: current · stem · object · lie · foot · bear · land · kick

  1. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. stem — to come from
  3. kick — in football
  4. lie — to recline
  5. current — electric
  6. land — to come down
  7. object — a thing
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. current — happening now
  10. bear — the animal
  11. object — to protest
  12. land — ground
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. object — an aim
  19. bear — the animal
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. land — a country
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. current — of water
  24. foot — a measure

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