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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: bay · root · current · rock · cap · saw · ground · lie

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. saw — the tool
  3. current — of water
  4. lie — to recline
  5. ground — crushed
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. current — happening now
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. ground — the earth
  10. root — the cause
  11. ground — a position
  12. current — electric
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. cap — a lid
  15. rock — a stone
  16. saw — the tool
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. root — of a word
  19. cap — of ice
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. cap — a hat
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. rock — music
  24. root — of a plant

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