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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: lie · bay · kick · drill · current · hand · stem · mouse

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  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. drill — army training
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. current — happening now
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. hand — in cards
  8. current — electric
  9. drill — a practice
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. drill — the tool
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. stem — to come from
  14. hand — help
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. lie — to recline
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. current — of water
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. kick — in football
  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