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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: stem · current · spell · lie · row · net · deal · ruler

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  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. ruler — a monarch
  2. net — after costs
  3. spell — magic
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. spell — a short time
  6. row — a line
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. net — in sport
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. deal — to handle
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. row — to paddle
  13. stem — to come from
  14. net — for catching
  15. current — of water
  16. current — electric
  17. spell — letters
  18. current — happening now
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. ruler — for measuring
  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