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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: present · current · suit · drill · straw · rule · mug · stem

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. drill — the tool
  3. current — electric
  4. stem — to come from
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. present — a gift
  7. mug — to rob
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. drill — army training
  10. mug — a face
  11. present — the time now
  12. suit — in cards
  13. rule — a law
  14. suit — to fit
  15. current — happening now
  16. suit — clothes
  17. drill — a practice
  18. rule — government
  19. present — there
  20. current — of water
  21. mug — a cup
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. straw — dry grass

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