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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: key · ground · current · toast · lie · capital · rash · stem

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. ground — a position
  3. lie — to recline
  4. key — for a lock
  5. capital — a city
  6. ground — the earth
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. key — the most important part
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. rash — hasty
  11. current — of water
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. capital — money
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. stem — to come from
  17. current — electric
  18. toast — bread
  19. key — in music
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. ground — crushed
  22. current — happening now
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. rash — a series

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