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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
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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: mate · chest · stem · current · content · cabinet · lean · nail

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. chest — of your body
  6. mate — a friend
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. current — of water
  9. content — happy
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. mate — to breed
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. mate — a partner
  14. current — electric
  15. lean — thin
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. current — happening now
  18. chest — of your body
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. stem — to come from
  22. lean — to bend
  23. chest — a box
  24. content — the amount

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