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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 120 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: shower · current · bat · lie · stem · mate · bore · drill

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. drill — a practice
  3. current — of water
  4. mate — to breed
  5. bat — the animal
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. shower — rain
  9. drill — army training
  10. stem — to come from
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. drill — the tool
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. current — electric
  17. mate — a partner
  18. shower — to wash
  19. current — happening now
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. mate — a friend
  22. bore — to drill
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. bore — to tire

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