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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: arm · fan · ground · current · kick · stem · land · lie

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. kick — in football
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. stem — to come from
  6. current — of water
  7. land — to come down
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. land — a country
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. ground — crushed
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. land — ground
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. current — electric
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. current — happening now
  23. lie — to recline
  24. ground — a position

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