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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
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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: band · lie · craft · current · staff · pitcher · stem · cell

  1. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. lie — to recline
  3. staff — a stick
  4. band — a ring
  5. cell — in biology
  6. current — of water
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. current — electric
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. stem — to come from
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. craft — a skill
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. current — happening now
  21. staff — employees
  22. staff — employees
  23. craft — boats
  24. band — a music group

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