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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: cap · current · rock · lie · stem · coach · cell · bore

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. bore — to drill
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. current — of water
  5. bore — to tire
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. cap — a lid
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. current — electric
  11. cell — in biology
  12. current — happening now
  13. rock — music
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. cell — a phone
  16. stem — to come from
  17. rock — a stone
  18. lie — to recline
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. cap — of ice
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. cap — a hat
  24. stem — a stem cell

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