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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: land · lie · can · bowl · current · prune · bear · mug

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. can — to be able to
  4. land — a country
  5. land — to come down
  6. current — happening now
  7. lie — to recline
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. prune — to trim
  11. mug — a cup
  12. current — electric
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. mug — a face
  15. land — ground
  16. bear — the animal
  17. mug — to rob
  18. prune — to trim
  19. current — of water
  20. bear — the animal
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. can — a tin
  23. can — a tin
  24. bear — to put up with

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