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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 116 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: stem · current · bear · game · lie · bay · bulb · mine

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. current — of water
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bear — the animal
  6. stem — to come from
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. bulb — for light
  9. lie — to recline
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. bulb — for light
  14. current — electric
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. game — wild animals
  18. mine — for digging
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. current — happening now
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. game — a match

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