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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.

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: mine · nail · current · face · stem · press · stick · bay

  1. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. current — happening now
  2. stem — to come from
  3. face — to confront
  4. mine — for digging
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. face — part of the head
  7. current — of water
  8. face — to point toward
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. press — a publisher
  13. press — newspapers
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. current — electric
  18. press — to push
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. mine — belonging to me

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