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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 116 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 · staff · board · wake · drill · stock · current · leaves

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. drill — the tool
  3. current — of water
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. drill — a practice
  6. stock — goods
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. current — happening now
  9. staff — employees
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. drill — army training
  12. stock — shares
  13. staff — a stick
  14. board — to get on
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. board — a committee
  17. wake — a trail
  18. staff — employees
  19. current — electric
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. lie — to recline

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