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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 · deal · can · bowl · rest · mate · clip

  1. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  2. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — of a plant
  2. current — happening now
  3. clip — to cut
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. can — a tin
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. mate — a friend
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. rest — what's left
  11. stem — to come from
  12. can — to be able to
  13. mate — a partner
  14. can — a tin
  15. current — electric
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. mate — to breed
  18. current — of water
  19. rest — what's left
  20. deal — to handle
  21. clip — a video
  22. clip — for paper
  23. rest — a break
  24. deal — a big deal

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