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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: field · mouse · calf · current · stem · root · plane · lie

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  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. lie — an untruth
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. current — of water
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. root — the cause
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. current — electric
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. field — farmland
  14. plane — a tool
  15. current — happening now
  16. root — of a plant
  17. lie — to recline
  18. field — for sport
  19. stem — to come from
  20. root — of a word
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. field — a subject
  23. calf — a young animal
  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